Pelicans Season Preview
As David Griffin stepped on to the podium at the Pelicans 2024 Media Day, he didn't waste time addressing one of the big elephants in the room. "There will be a great fixation on what we are going to do about the center…my answer to that is, 'We will figure it out.'"
So far, it seems like the Pelicans have embraced the idea of "figuring it out" with their current roster. As Griffin put it, "We have more talent than we have ever had," and that very well might be true. The trade for Dejounte Murray was another major headline throughout the day, with Green, Griffin, and his teammates citing his playmaking abilities, as well as his late game heroics that he has shown throughout his career. That being said, the Murray trade put the Pelicans in a tough spot down low, as it forced them to give up rotation big Larry Nance Jr.
Clearly, they don't seem too worried. Both Griffin and Green referenced the versatility throughout the Pelicans main lineup, with Herb Jones having the rare ability to defend 1-5. They also discussed how the lineup's ability to space the floor will open up new driving lanes for Zion, who in an interview with The Athletic, mentioned that he is out for "vengeance" this year. The absence of Jonas Valenciunas and Nance can even provide opportunities for newcomers to step up, including the veteran Daniel Theis and Croatian big Karlo Matković, while first round pick Yves Missi seems to be more of a long-term project.
The other main thing the Pelicans need to "figure out" is the role of star forward Brandon Ingram. This past summer involved a lot of back and forth between the Pelicans and Ingram, with them ultimately failing to reach an agreement on a possible extension. The Murray trade also presents a new challenge for Ingram, who will have to play more off ball and, therefore, become more of a spot-up shooter. So far, it seems like this new role hasn't stopped Ingram one bit, as Willie Green has cited Ingram as "not just fitting in" but "dominating" the first two days of training camp. Ingram's ability to shoot the three will play a key role in determining the Pelicans ceiling this season.
Just
like pretty much every season, the Pelicans couldn't even get through two
practice days without being bitten by the injury bug. This time it is Trey
Murphy, who suffered a right hamstring strain that will keep him out for the
next three weeks. Luckily for the Pelicans, their roster is deep at the wing,
and these injuries leave room for players such as second year sharpshooter
Jordan Hawkins to take a big leap. The Pelicans ultimate goal is to make it to
April healthy and in a postseason spot. The pressure to "figure it out" and
make a deep run is certainly on for this team.
