The New Orleans Pelicans are amid one of the most unfortunate seasons of all time, starting the 2024-25 season a laughable 9-32.

The Pelicans have been completely decimated by injuries this season. At one point, around 90% of the team’s salary was lost due to injuries. Although Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the team’s two All-Stars, have struggled with injuries in the past, the supporting cast has always been healthy.

However, this season, that was not the case. The Pelicans have had fringe NBA players like Jaylen Nowell, Jamal Cain, and even Elfrid Payton, who hadn’t played a game for over 2 seasons, playing over 20 minutes a night.

Unsurprisingly, as of Dec. 12, 2024, they had the second-worst record in the NBA, only inching out the tanking Washington Wizards, a historically terrible team. We are now almost halfway through the season. Tanking should be the only road the Pelicans take for the remainder of the season, despite Williamson’s return to the lineup.

This may sound grim, but it might be a blessing in disguise for the Pelicans. They have their first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft, a class packed with intriguing prospects like NCAA superstars Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey.

If the season ended today, the Pelicans would have the third-best odds in the NBA Lottery.

Although tanking should be the focal point of the Pelicans’ attempt to “retool,” other moves need to be made in coalition.

One, and the most obvious, is firing head coach Willie Green. Even though before this disaster of a season the Pelicans had improved their win total every season since Green joined the team in 2021, this has nothing to do with his impact as head coach. Green was set up to succeed in at a level in which he has not met. He has had an abundance of young talent in his four years with the team and has proved time and time again he can not and will not develop these young players.

“He refuses to play rookies in favor of older veterans, stunting their growth. Furthermore, he always puts together the weirdest lineups and never calls timeouts in clutch time to draw up plays,” said Saint Paul’s junior Bobby Hanks.

Another move that needs to be made is the decision on Brandon Ingram. Ingram is up for a new contract extension and was reportedly seeking upward of $50 million a year. This is utterly unrealistic for a fringe All-Star caliber player like Ingram.

While a more team-friendly (around $35 million) deal could still be in the cards, the Pelicans should try to aggressively shop the 28-year-old. Ingram has an abnormal playstyle with a heavy diet of contested midrange shots, which is the most inefficient shot in basketball. He’s a talented player, but his skill set is used in isolation, which can slow the pace and cohesiveness of the offense. Furthermore, Ingram is constantly injured; he hasn’t played 65+ games since his rookie year, the 2016-17 season. These factors make it incredibly hard to build around Ingram, especially with Zion Williamson on the team.

Speaking of Williamson, if the price is right, it might also be time to move on from the former number-one pick. Fans are split on this because Williamson has been far and away New Orleans’ most impactful player in the five years he has been on the team. The Pelicans have a 101-89 record when Williamson plays and a 92-132 when he doesn’t. However, the “when he plays” caveat is the problem. Williamson has played in less than 50% of his games since he’s been in New Orleans, which is an abysmal mark.

Although all this sounds doom and gloom, there have been a few bright spots. For example, rookie Yves Missi has been outstanding, even topping the ladders in the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) polling at one point.

Through 40 games, Missi is averaging 9 points per game (PPG), 8 rebounds per game (RPG), and 2 stocks (steals + blocks) a game. Although the numbers don’t jump off the screen, Missi has been nearly unreplaceable for the Pelicans. On defense, his athleticism and instincts make him a formidable opponent at the rim, rejecting and altering almost every shot that comes his way.

On the other end of the floor, Missi uses his alien-like athleticism and high motor in the pick-and-roll game, where he either finishes plays or relentlessly attacks the offensive glass. In addition, Missi has shown flashes of his incredible footwork, finesse, and strength in the post, abusing mismatches on smaller wings and guards and attacking the foot speed of slower-footed big men.

The cherry on top is Missi is 20 and has only played organized basketball for four years. He has all of the potential and, more importantly, all of the freedom in the world to grow into an All-star caliber big man for the Pelicans.

Another bright spot for the Pelicans has been Trey Murphy III’s ascension. Murphy III has been a key part of the rotation throughout his three-year tenure as a Pelican. He has averaged just under 15 points per game in his last two seasons and provides elite spacing for Ingram and Williamson with his world-class 3-point shooting. This season, however, feels different from Murphy III. For instance, last season, eight out of his 11 shot attempts per game were 3-point shots, with the vast majority being catch-and-shoot opportunities. However, This season, only around half of Murphy III’s 16 shot attempts per game are 3-point shots, a significantly healthier mark.

The key to his development as a three-level player has been the development of his ball-handling ability and touch around the rim. These improvements have not only helped him maintain his high-efficiency, high-volume 3-point shooting but have also helped Murphy III unlock his downhill game. For example, this season, he is attempting over six shots at the rim and four free throws per game, a vast improvement over last season.

This season, Murphy III is averaging 22 PPG, 5 RPG, and 3 APG; over his last ten games (Dec. 21-Jan. 14), Murphy III is averaging 27 PPG, 5 RPG, and 4 APG. Although this is a small sample size, it’s very clear that Murphy III has taken that leap to stardom.

With these improvements, additions, and possibly the addition of a top 3 pick in the star-studded 2025 NBA Draft, the Pelicans will be primed for a great 2025-26 season despite having one of the worst records in basketball.

Featured Image Credit: Imago