The New Orleans Pelicans all the time appear to have the appropriate concepts however execute them poorly. They wished to commerce up within the draft to pick Derik Queen. Proper concept. Within the course of, they gave up their very own first-round choose subsequent 12 months, which is probably going going to turn out to be a lottery choice.
Moreover, they wished an additional first spherical choose on this 12 months’s class. Proper concept. Within the course of, they gave the Pacers their 2026 first-rounder again, which will even probably be a lottery choose with Tyrese Haliburton set to overlook all of subsequent season.
So, New Orleans has gone from having two potential lottery picks to zero within the matter of months. The West is projected to be robust as soon as once more, and whereas the Pelicans do have the expertise to remain within the combine, well being is their greatest concern as soon as once more.
Zion Williamson has a prolonged harm historical past, Dejounte Murray is ready to overlook a giant chunk of the 12 months, and each Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are coming off injury-plagued seasons.
The Pelican’s shifting on from Brandon Ingram look higher by the day
New Orleans didn’t need to provide Ingram a max extension, resulting in him getting traded to Toronto final season. On the time, Ingram was sidelined with an ankle sprain, which precipitated him to overlook the remainder of the season.
The final time Ingram performed over 65 video games in a full season was in his rookie 12 months nearly a decade in the past. Over the past three seasons, he has performed 64 video games, 45 video games, and 18 video games. He has not been sturdy, and committing long-term cash to him as he will get nearer to his 30s would have been a mistake.
Along with that, Ingram had plateaued as a participant a bit. In 2022, after an electrical playoff sequence towards the Suns the place he went toe-to-toe with Devin Booker, Ingram was anticipated to take the leap to stardom.
Ingram shouldn’t be constant sufficient to be thought-about a core participant
His counting stats have remained across the identical since then, however Ingram’s ceiling was larger than what he has been producing. His final playoff run in 2024 towards Oklahoma Metropolis was a tough one, as he averaged solely 14 PPG as the primary choice, and was utterly invisible in all 4 video games.
The Pelicans acquired the Pacers’ first-round choose within the Ingram commerce, which might have made the transfer look even higher. Once more, the choice to maneuver on from Ingram retains up with the theme of proper concept however poor execution.
New Orleans hasn’t had many wins currently, so any small victories are significant. Toronto signed Ingram to a $120 million extension over the subsequent three years, so not having that cash on their books is a victory for the Pelicans.
