New Orleans made one of the biggest offseason splashes this summer when it acquired Dejounte Murray from Atlanta. The price was not exorbitant. The Pelicans retained most of its depth, and they now have a roster that has the potential to go toe-to-toe with some of the best in their conference.
One could actually argue the trade for Murray caused more problems than it fixed, only because Willie Green now has a monster decision when it comes to his starting lineup. Murray, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are mortal locks to start, but the rest of the positions are up for grabs. Trey Murphy – a sharp-shooting wing who has hit 39.2% of his 3-point attempts – would be vital for a starting lineup that does not have much shooting. But, does that mean CJ McCollum would come off the bench? New Orleans also has a massive hole in its roster at center which will cause some problems.
Yves Missi, Daniel Theis and Trey Jemison are the only centers on this roster. Jemison is a second-year player on a two-way deal. The Pelicans could certainly reach out to a team like Portland which has a glut of big men, but for now there seems to be no movement on that front. Making it even more perplexing was Green’s resistance to Williamson as a small-ball center when New Orleans had its media days at the beginning of October.
Regardless, Murray unlocks an interesting aspect of the Pelicans’ offense now that he is here. When he was on the floor without Trae Young last season, Atlanta had a positive net rating. Its most used lineup with just Murray was +12.5 per 100 possessions. He averaged 25.1 points and 9.1 assists in those games. New Orleans desperately needed a true lead guard and Murray fills that role.
The Pelicans should be an above average defense once again this season. Murray is overrated as a defender, but is still competent on that end. Murphy is also a solid wing defender in his own right. Then there is Herb Jones. The fourth-year wing is one of the best defenders in the league, and he has added to his value by becoming consistent from beyond the arc. Lineups with him, Murphy and Murray should be very strong on defense. New Orleans finished eighth in non-garbage time defensive efficiency last season (113.0). That seems high for this group, but around 10th is a realistic goal.
Pelicans Win Total Prediction
Looming over this season for New Orleans is not only its lack of center depth, but it is also the status of Brandon Ingram. Ingram is in the final year of his current deal, and he has yet to reach an agreement with the Pelicans. The team explored trades for him in the offseason, but nothing came to fruition. Will he be on the team after the trade deadline? If he isn’t, then what does New Orleans get for him in return? Ingram has shown no intention of sitting out or missing time, so we must evaluate this team as it is constructed. I believe this team is better than it was last season. This group won 49 games last season and added a talent like Murray. That is worth looking Over a lower win total.
Lean: Over 45.5 Wins (-115)
