With the New Orleans Pelicans staying put and not trading into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, it’s time to move on. The Pelicans need to focus on putting the best team on the court this season, which means keeping their core together.
If Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver ended up trading Trey Murphy III to acquire a first-round pick, I would have said they should go all-in and start a rebuild.
Now that the draft is past and Murphy is still on the team, I think Dumars and Weaver should focus on putting a winning team on the court.
I realize I am very likely a lot more positive about the current team than most. I get it, they won 26 games last season. But I think many of their issues last season stemmed from constant injuries and poor coaching.
The Pelicans have enough talent to make a push for the playoffs
If they can stay relatively healthy this season, I think the Pelicans can manage a winning record and a potential playoff spot.
I am also going to be positive about the new head coach, Jamahl Mosley. We saw firsthand last season the difference a good head coach can make.
I think the toughest thing will be deciding who will start and who will get the most minutes together.
If the Pelicans are going to make a serious push to be competitive next season, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen need to come off the bench. They are the future of the Pelicans, but as they continue to learn and improve, they are better utilized off the bench in shorter spurts.
The Pelicans’ five best players (in no particular order) are Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey, Trey Murphy III, and Zion Williamson. The problem is they don’t have a center among that group.
Yves Missi may end up starting, or Dumars and Weaver need to go out and get a starting center through a trade or free agency.
I truly believe a healthy version of this team, with the right head coach, can win more than 40 games. Here’s the kicker. If the Pelicans struggle to start the season or injuries strike again, they can always still go all in on a rebuild.
There will be another opportunity around next season’s trade deadline for Dumars and Weaver to ship off their veteran players and acquire draft picks. Then, when spots open, you can spend the rest of the season evaluating Fears and Queen in starting roles.
I want to see what Mosley and a healthy roster can do. If there ever was a time for Williamson to turn a corner, it’s now. I think we will also see a reinvigorated and healthy version of Murray at point guard. A lot has to go right for the Pelicans to succeed in the 2026-2027 season, but I believe they already have the players on their roster to make that happen.
