The Pelicans are Soaring Right Now
The New Orleans Pelicans are another small-market team that has had the NBA world buzzing recently. Winners of five straight — three of which were against contenders — NOLA has been seeing a lot of success after the trade deadline, thanks in part to a blockbuster move that helped their chances of staying in the Play-in Tournament.
So, what have been the key factors that have made the Pelicans a team to watch in the West?
First off, and what might be the most obvious one, is the acquisition of CJ McCollum. Getting him in a seven-player deal seems like a steal for GM Trajan Langdon, who has now been reaping the rewards with his team’s recent play. In ten games as a Pelican (at the time of writing), McCollum has averaged 26.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 6.1 APG while shooting nearly 52% from the field, 40% from three and 75% from the free-throw line. He’s been on a tear in his last five games, scoring above 20 points in four of the games and averaging 6.8 APG in the process. He also had a season-high 38 points on 14–26 shooting from the field and 7–10 from three in a 125–118 loss to the Mavericks on Feb. 17. It’s clear that McCollum has brought the Pelicans to new heights, but he’s certainly not alone.
Many believed the McCollum trade would stunt the development of Brandon Ingram, but the opposite has been true. Since the trade deadline, Ingram has averaged 22.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 5.9 APG on 51–26–79 splits. Though his shooting numbers have declined slightly, BI has not experienced a significant drop off in his production and has meshed very well with McCollum. The two have an Offensive Rating of 116.4 and a Defensive Rating of 113.4. They most recently combined for 60 points (Ingram 28 and McCollum 32) in a 117–102 win over the Suns on Feb. 25. Ingram will continue to make leaps and bounds on a young and hungry Pelicans squad, and the addition of McCollum has only proven to be helpful for the 24-year-old star.
Other Pelicans have also been key for head coach Willie Green. Jonas Valanciunas has been a revelation for New Orleans, contributing nearly 18 and 12 on a nightly basis while shooting 37% from deep. Jaxson Hayes has been a serviceable backup but is looking to become a mainstay in the starting five. The 24-year-old big man has started ten games for NOLA this year, including the last six, and has averaged 12.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.2 APG and 1.2 BPG in 27.6 minutes per game. In addition, Devonte Graham has done well as the Pels’ main facilitator, putting up 4 APG next to 12 PPG. Finally, G-League call-up Herb Jones has turned heads in his rookie year; the 6’8” forward has averaged 9.4 PPG, 4 RPG and 2.1 APG on 48–34–86 splits. He had a career-high 26 points on 10–18 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists and three blocks on Dec. 28. These four will be among the core role players that can help NOLA stay in play-in territory.
The biggest question surrounding the Big Easy is if we’ll ever see Zion suit up for the Pelicans this season. Rumors have been floating around about potential sightings of the 6’6” forward, and he reportedly returned to New Orleans after spending most of his rehab time in Portland. He is slated to rejoin the team next week, but given how many times the return has been pushed back, it would not be surprising if that timeline changed again. For a guy who has played 85 games over the course of two seasons, it’s a drawn out “wait and see” approach with Zion. However, if he’s the same or an even better version of himself when he does take the court, that will make NOLA all the more formidable.
All in all, the Pelicans are beginning to return to relevance behind two stars and a solid supporting cast. Though Williamson will be the biggest X-Factor for NOLA’s future, Pels fans should continue to enjoy the success they’ve witnessed so far, as it could be a sign of bigger and better things to come.
