After a disappointing end to their 2024-25 campaign, it became abundantly clear that the New Orleans Pelicans needed to make some changes. With all the players on the roster being made available for trade, the Pelicans kicked off their roster construction efforts, and it has already yielded some seemingly positive results.
The Pelicans made a massive move by trading their starting point guard, CJ McCollum, to the Washington Wizards, gaining former NBA champion Jordan Poole in return.
Needless to say, the trade has some degree of an impact on the team as a whole, primarily shifting some things around in the starting lineup. With Poole replacing McCollum, the team suddenly boasts a creative and skilled scoring guard in his prime. Paired with an elite two-way player in Dejounte Murray in the backcourt, New Orleans may very realistically look to be more competitive next season.
With this in mind, we take a look at the potential starting lineup for this team.
PG: Dejounte Murray
SG: Jordan Poole
SF: Trey Murphy III
PF: Zion Williamson
C: Yves Missi
Murray is one of the more unfortunate cases in the NBA. After making a drastic rise as a star with the San Antonio Spurs, the guard left to join Trae Young on the Atlanta Hawks, deemed a failed venture by some.
Last season, Murray joined the Pelicans last year in hopes of increasing his productivity again. Unfortunately, an ACL injury saw him sidelined for the season. This was debilitating for New Orleans as the guard was having a fairly solid campaign, recording an average of 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.
Should Murray return to full health, he will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with on the court. His ability to create shots for himself while also finding open teammates is bound to yield positive results.
Murray will also benefit from having a running mate like Poole, an instinctive scorer in every sense. Poole’s unconventional style of playing offense, cultivated during his tenure with the Golden State Warriors, is disruptive. While this could be considered a double-edged sword, when the 26-year-old finds his rhythm, he is among the most lethal scorers in the game.
Last season, Poole recorded an average of 20.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists on shooting splits of 43.2% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc. These numbers are quite impressive, but they are also a product of his usage rate in Washington. With an expected drop-off in usage, Poole may be forced to find a different way to be effective.
Moving into the frontcourt, the Pelicans are likely to see Trey Murphy III start as small forward for the team. Murphy made a large jump last season. After averaging only 14.8 points in the 2023-24 season, the forward improved to 21.2 points per game last season, a significant improvement owed to more shots attempted and more minutes.
While being an effective scorer, the 25-year-old has also shown a keen sense for rebounding, averaging 5.1 rebounds per game last season. He has also improved as a defensive player, thus making a case for the Pelicans to put a high value on him.
Much like most of the players on New Orleans’ roster, Murphy was also sidelined last season with injury. The forward tore his labrum after 53 games played last season. He is expected to make a full recovery, but the initial stages of playing again may see him in a bit of a slump.
The power forward position will be filled by Pelicans star Zion Williamson. Although the 24-year-old has been mentioned in several trade rumors, it seems more likely that he will remain with the team next season as well.
The biggest knock on Williamson has been his health and unavailability. This is primarily because he seems nigh unstoppable when he is actually on the court.
Last season, the Pelicans star only played 30 games. In this period, he recorded an average of 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, an incredible set of figures in every right.
Williamson’s strength and athleticism make him a constant threat in the paint. When factoring in his interior presence, the potential inside-outside pairing of him and Poole could be formidable to face.
The Pelicans’ lineup is capped off by Yves Missi in the starting center spot. The big man will be heading into his sophomore season after a very solid display last season. Notching an average of 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, Missi showed a lot of potential for developing into a reliable center for New Orleans.
At only 20 years old, he is an incredible mobile center, capable of establishing his presence on the inside. When paired with a healthy Williamson, the frontcourt duo could be difficult to snatch rebounds from.
Outside of the starting rotation, the Pelicans still have some reliable players coming off the bench. Herb Jones, their defensive specialist, is likely to be the first man off the bench. In addition to Jones, the team still features a very reliable veteran in Saddiq Bey, who was acquired as part of the trade with the Wizards.
The team, as currently constructed, still appears to be fairly solid, barring injuries. But if they have plans of becoming a playoff side in a competitive Western Conference, there will be a need to bolster their roster depth.
Re-signing players like Bruce Brown and Willy Hernangomez may be a good place to start. With additional options to swing for trades as well, the Pelicans could explore many options to improve their roster over the offseason.
