What Pelicans Need in NBA Offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans’ 2023-22 season can be divided into three sections. In the first section, the Pelicans were a top-four seed with legit NBA playoff odds. Then, a sudden collapse due to injuries dropped New Orleans to the play-in tournament. The Final section was the Pelicans abruptly eliminated in the first play-in game.

That first section was headlined by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram playing at an elite level. The team fell off a cliff when their injuries hit the NBA news cycle. It leaves a massive question for the Pelicans’ season because they had been the No.1 seed in the Western Conference before the injuries.

While the NBA lines could have changed, they seemingly had a legitimate chance to make an exciting playoff run before the top players got hurt.

However, this team might be one of the most complicated for NBA predictions because of all their talent, which can’t stay healthy. This New Orleans roster does not need much, with the expectation of Williamson being able to play. The Pelicans’ playoff hopes could vanish if he is injured, which has been a recurring theme in his career.

2022-23 Season Record: 42-40

Status of Coach: Willie Green. Safe. The team’s lack of success is not his fault.

Positions of Need for Pelicans

• Shot-blocker
• Floor Spacing Veteran
• Point Guard

Possible Free Agency Plan

It truly is hard to find a weakness in this roster. In theory, Williamson is an elite talent that can take over a game and possibly be the best player in a playoff series. Ingram is an elite three-level scorer who can put on incredible offensive displays here and there while also being a solid playmaker. CJ McCollum, similarly to Ingram, can have some great scoring nights, with the ability to create for others.

That is just the Pelicans’ big three, with a stacked rotation of role players around them. Despite a lack of offense, Jose Alvarado and Herbert Jones are elite perimeter defenders, constantly annoying opposing players. Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels give the roster some floor spacing while holding their own on defense. Jonas Valančiūnas and Larry NanceJr. offer very different things as bigs but can get the job done.

With all this talent on the roster under contract for 2023-24, finding the cap space for improvements will be hard. New Orleans will need to look on the edges of free agency to fill out the roster, which might not be challenging, with possible decent NBA Finals odds.

Signing veterans on the minimum to fill in some of the team’s needs might be the best option. However, the Pelicans also have a bunch of draft picks in the future, which could be flipped for players if need be.

First-Round Lottery Odds

• Odds For First Overall Pick – 0.5%
• Odds For A Top Four Pick – 2.4%

Possible Draft Plan

There is a good chance the Pelicans will end up with the last pick in the lottery. They won’t officially know until the draft lottery on May 16, but their odds seem to point in that direction. That gives New Orleans a peculiar position with what they want to do for the future.

The Pelicans’ roster is good enough to have decent NBA odds for 2023-24, leaving little room for growth other than staying healthy. This could lead the team to trade away this pick and fill out the edges of the roster.

However, the two most significant needs for the Pelicans are the lack of a pure shot blocker and a playmaker, which they could try to draft with this pick. Two names that could fill either of those roles are Dereck Lively II from Duke and Keyonte George out of Baylor. Either should be available with the 14th pick.

Lively could end up being the best shot blocker out of the draft, with great size and length. The downside is that his game falls in the traditional rim-running mold of a center. With the Pelicans’ minor spacing issue, his lack of non-paint scoring might be problematic.

On the other hand, George is dynamic as a playmaker and is a shot-creating combo guard. While his passing is not great at the moment, George would be an immediate boost in playmaking and offensive skill off the bench, something the Pelicans are lacking.