Yves Missi is walking into the kind of early-season gauntlet that can expose a young center in a hurry. For the New Orleans Pelicans, that’s the reality of the calendar. For Missi, it means the job starts with a brutal exam and barely a breather between the toughest names in the league.
The first stretch is especially unforgiving. Ivica Zubac, Jaren Jackson Jr., Nikola Jokic, and Domantas Sabonis are all lined up in the opening weeks, and Jokic alone gets two shots at Missi in a five-day span. That’s a rough introduction for a 22-year-old still finding his footing, even if the Pelicans believe he has the tools to handle it eventually.
Missi brings real upside to the table. The former Baylor standout has the athleticism, length, and defensive instincts that make him look like a center who can stay on the floor in the postseason.
As a rookie, he posted 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds, then dropped to 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in a smaller role last season. Now, the expectation is that he opens on Opening Night against the Indiana Pacers.
That starting spot, though, comes with strings attached. Jamahl Mosley has already put a sharper accountability system in place, which means any early slip-ups are likely to stand out fast.
The Pelicans do not need Missi to outplay Jokic, Sabonis, or Jackson to keep the role. That would be unrealistic, even with the front office talking up Defensive Player of the Year hopes.
What Mosley is watching for is something else entirely: whether Missi can hold up without letting the game break him. There’s a line between demanding growth and wrecking a young player’s confidence, and this is where that line gets tested. If Missi keeps getting overpowered, the coaching staff will have to answer an uncomfortable question.
There are backup options, but none of them is clean. Derik Queen gives New Orleans a more inventive offensive look at center, with passing, scoring instincts, and playmaking that could mesh well next to Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. The tradeoff is obvious on the other end, where the defense would take a hit.
Karlo Matkovic brings size and floor spacing, which could open things up for Williamson, but he would still run into many of the same problems against elite frontcourt talent out West. Herb Jones at the five has worked in small doses, though that feels more like an emergency button than a real plan.
That’s why Missi’s growth matters so much to this group. Mosley can’t yank the steering wheel after a few hard nights simply because the schedule is loaded with stars.
A bad game against an MVP isn’t the same thing as a bad process. Repeated breakdowns caused by missed rotations, poor positioning, or a lack of physicality are a different story.
And the punishment does not stop after the first test window. Zach Edey on Nov.
2, Jackson Jr. again on Nov. 4, and Rudy Gobert on Nov. 6 come right behind it. Then Jokic returns to the Smoothie King Center on Nov. 14 before Thanksgiving is even close.
Jalen Duren on Nov. 18, followed by the Chet Holmgren/Aday Mara duo on Nov. 20 and Victor Wembanyama on Nov. 21, only adds to the pressure, especially with the last two coming in a road-road back-to-back.
Assistant coach Dale Osbourne laid out the basic survival plan during a pre-camp coaching clinic: ‘Pray' is the game plan against Jokic. Beyond that, the Pelicans are going to have to get creative if they want to stay in the Play-In mix through Thanksgiving.
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Pacers Open The Season With A Problem They Didn't Want
The Pacers are opening the season with an early lineup wrinkle they would have preferred to avoid, and it arrives in a spot where they were counting on continuity. With Aaron Nesmith unavailable at small forward, Indiana will have to adjust on the wing right away, with Kelly Oubre Jr. expected to step into the role and more minutes likely available for Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard.
The backcourt depth chart has its own concern, too, with T.J. McConnell still working back from a hamstring strain after missing the entire preseason. For a team trying to settle into its rotation quickly, the opening night absences mean the Pacers will have to lean on depth sooner than planned and hope the short-term patchwork does not turn into a longer-term problem. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Already Have A Derik Queen Question They Cant Ignore
Derik Queen gave the Pelicans something to think about in preseason, and not just because of the board work. Over four games, the rookie showed he can rebound at a high level, finishing with 8.8 per game, while also flashing enough playmaking to keep the ball moving. But the offensive output was uneven, with just 5.8 points a night on 33.3% shooting, the kind of start that leaves coaches weighing his strengths against the parts of his game that still need polish.
The passing numbers only added to the conversation, with Queen posting nine assists and nine turnovers as he tried to find his rhythm in Jamahl Mosleys system. At the same time, Jeremiah Fears continued to build momentum by leading New Orleans in preseason scoring and looking more comfortable in command of the offense, a contrast that sharpens the question around how Queen fits as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Opener Could Reveal A Lot About Jamahl Mosley Fast
The first regular-season game of the Jamahl Mosley era arrives with a little more intrigue than most openers. New Orleans will host Indiana to start the 2026-27 season, and for once the Pelicans are walking into October without the usual injury fog hanging over them. Mosley gets a clean read on a roster that looks fully available, while the matchup also brings an opponent with its own headline return.
Indianas visit will also put a familiar face back on the floor in a way the Pelicans will have to account for quickly. The Pacers are set to get their star guard back after a long absence, which gives this opener a little extra weight beyond the coaching debut and the healthy roster in New Orleans. For Mosley, its the kind of game that can say a lot about where the Pelicans are right away, even if the full answer is still a few weeks away. [Read more 🡒]