The New Orleans Pelicans' 2023-'24 season is over. It featured a lot of regular season wins, but in the end a thudding and disappointing finish.
So ... what's next? We'll take a stab at top top five questions facing this team moving forward, starting with ...
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1. IS THE COACHING GOOD ENOUGH?
The obvious answer is yes. Willie Green's teams have improved their win totals in each of his three seasons and this past year was a 49-win campaign that in most other seasons would've left them nowhere near the play-in bubble. That said, I have questions. He's a players coach, and that's fine, but at point it drives me insane. On a team that struggles to shoot consistently, why were your two best shooters (Matt Ryan and Jordan Hawkins) left to warm the bench throughout the entirety of a playoff sweep? I understand being committed to veterans and defense, but making basically no adjustments in big moments is frustrating to witness.
I also have questions regarding Brandon Ingram, who seemed to regress this year even before the injury. Over the past two seasons his 3-point attempts have been halved from his first two seasons in New Orleans, something that makes even less sense when you consider Zion Williamson played in 70 games. This is also a team that has wilted at home. If you include the play-in and playoffs they finished with a .500 record in their own building (22-22). The talent level is there, but man, that's unacceptable.
Long story short: No, of course you don't move on from Willie. The Pelicans gave him an extension for a reason. He's done well enough and the players certainly like him, not to mention he was able to tease a healthy season out of Zion and he was as locked in as he's ever been prior to the injury. There's a lot to be said for that. Still, this upcoming year feels like a big one, and a major regression could create major problems.
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2. IS IT TIME TO ADJUST THE CORE?
I'm losing faith in this team's ability to win consistently with Brandon Ingram as your No. 2 player. His shot profile is exhausting. How much success can you have when your game is predicated on taking the shots the other team wants you to take?
Jonas Valanciunas was a team player, but his role was also difficult to wrap my head around. It's tough to not see a scenario where a more athletic, rim-protecting center -- particularly one who could also step out and hit a 3 -- would be a paradigm-shifting element. As tough and gritty as Jonas is, the lack of athleticism is a factor.
I don't see this team moving on from CJ McCollum, but I also frequently find myself wondering if he'd be better served with a point guard so he can get back to playing more off the ball like he did in Portland.
The players I definitely want to build around:
- Zion Williamson
- Herb Jones
- CJ McCollum
The players I'd like to see more of:
- Trey Murphy
- Jordan Hawkins
- Dyson Daniels
I also think there's no reason to move on from Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall, as they're culture guys who defend and have proven to make plays in big moments. Everyone else is fair game, in my opinion.
There's obviously one big name missing from that list, and he's eligible for a major extension this summer. Do with that information what you will.
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3. DID ZION PROVE HE CAN STAY HEALTHY?
It sure would be easy to look at this season for Zion Williamson and say ... well here we go again. Another year, another injury. But I genuinely think that's a miss.
Zion played in 70 regular season games this season. After all the criticism of his weight, he played himself into shape and looked like a different person by the end of the it. Heck, the injury happened on a strong drive for his 40th points in a do-or-die game. It was the type of takeover performance that we didn't see from a single Pelicans player during a sweep to the Thunder.
I genuinely think it was just bad timing. He did everything right. And if this team hadn't swooned at the worst possible time, the Pelicans would've never had to play in that game in the first place.
So, to answer the question: Yes, I think he did. The injury wasn't major and if his teammates were able to win a game or two without him, it's likely he'd have gotten back on the court this year. I consider this a win for him, albeit frustrating.
All that said, he still does need to prove that he can come into a season ready to go. He needs to get his preparation and diet right. He can't afford to be sweating off 20 pounds in games that actually matter, and he needs to understand the wear and tear that his size and play stile will have on his body over the course of an NBA season. If he does understand this, next season could be his best yet. I'm optimistic.
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4. REALISTIC ADDITIONS?
As mentioned above, there are two majo things I'd like to see the Pelicans add. I think they need a young, athletic rim-protecting center and I think they need a more traditional point guard.
Unfortunately the Pelicans won't be drafting high enough to get one of the elite prospects, but maybe there are trade options on the table? I'd love the idea of adding a Donovan Clingan, pairing him up with another former Huskies star in Jordan Hawkins. Personally I like the fit of a Valanciunas-type player, but not 31-year-old Valanciunas. To me that's a good comp for Clingan, who has the elite height, can get off the floor and should be able to develop a jumper.
I don't see Edey as a viable option, but maybe a Kel'El Ware from Indiana. One way or another, I need size and rim protection.
The Pelicans could also go in the draft for the point guard that it sure feels like they need, and Providence's Devin Carter would make a lot of sense. I could also see them hitting the trade market for a player like Cavaliers PG Darius Garland. I've also always imagined the pairing of Zion and DeAaron Fox, but that feels like it'd be nigh impossible to pull off.
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5. IS THE NEEDLE STILL POINTING UP?
This is a tough question to answer, because it could go either way. There's no denying that Brandon Ingram was not himself in the playoffs, but I'm also not sure if his game is ever going to be one that can get you over the top. His most pie in the sky comp is Kevin Durant, and even if you believe that, we've seen similar issues with Kevin Durant-led teams that didn't involve the Warriors hegemony.
The wild thing about BI is that he's only 26, so any decision to move on would be simply that. I think this team can still keep taking steps forward, but perception can be different from reality. An area this team will always struggle is to get the attention of a city that always seems to be in varying stages of Saints obsession or withdrawal. You can take the spotlight, but you have to win. Even in a season that saw the second-highest win total in franchise history, it sure didn't feel that way at the Smoothie King Center.
So I'll answer this question with a yes, because the Pelicans could have another 49-win season and it'd feel completely different if all they did different was protect their home court.