Our next preview looks at the New Orleans Pelicans and whether the return of star forward Zion Williamson can help the team shoot up the standings and win their first playoff series since 2018. Last season, they went 36-46 and were eliminated by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs. In these previews, we will take a look at the key acquisitions, fantasy stars and predicted finish.
Key Acquisitions
New Orleans’ biggest offseason moves were extending veteran guard C.J. McCollum to a two-year, $64 million extension and using a lottery pick on Australian wing Dyson Daniels.
Daniels spent last season with the G-League Ignite and shot up the boards after showcasing elite defensive upside and passing chops. In 14 games in the G-League, he averaged 11.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 4.4 apg but hit on just 13 of his 51 three-point attempts. His already-impactful defence and ability to initiate offence should be enough to earn him minutes initially, however, his shooting numbers will determine just how significant a role head coach Willie Green will trust him with.
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Fantasy Stars
Williamson projects as a fantasy stud provided he stays on the court after missing all of last season with a foot injury. In 61 games in 2020-21, Williamson averaged 27.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg and 3.7 apg on .649 TS% en route to a maiden All-Star berth. When available, the 22-year-old has been sensational, however, he has appeared in just 85 games over his first three seasons in the league. One of the most intriguing players in the NBA entering the season, Williamson holds the key to the franchise’s hopes of contention both this season and moving forward.
Projected Finish
Jeremy and I have the Pelicans in slightly different tiers as we approach the tip-off to the season. Jeremy expects them to jostle for homecourt come the first round of the playoffs whilst my expectation is that they finish closer to play-in range. There is a plethora of things to like about this team; Williamson bodes as an All-NBA hopeful provided he stays healthy whilst Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum have each put up All-Star level production over the past several seasons. Their player development staff has nailed the likes of Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado whilst Daniels, Trey Murphy III, and Jaxson Hayes will all hope to prove themselves as regular contributors. Jonas Valančiūnas, Larry Nance Jr., and Devonte’ Graham round out what projects to be a deep rotation. There is clear path towards a postseason berth for this squad in what is a loaded Western Conference.
