The New Orleans Pelicans have had a brief history, but they’ve managed to produce some top talent. Here’s a look at the Top 30 players in franchise history.
The New Orleans Pelicans were established as a franchise in 2002-03 when the relocated from Charlotte as the New Orleans Hornets. It marked the return of the NBA to New Orleans since the Utah Jazz moved to Salt Lake City back during the 1979-80 NBA season. The New Orleans Jazz lasted from 1974-75 until the 1978-79 campaign before moving further out West to Utah.
Since becoming a franchise in New Orleans, the team has used Oklahoma City as a temporary location when Hurricane Katrina uprooted them from their original home back in 2005. They returned in 2007-08, posting a 56-26 record and making one of their deepest runs in the postseason with some familiar faces in the franchise.
The likes of Baron Davis, Chris Paul, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle are some past and current familiar faces in franchise lore in New Orleans. Since some of the veterans have moved on, a name change occurred for New Orleans with them creating their own identity as the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013-14.
The arrival of Anthony Davis from the University of Kentucky marked a new era for the franchise and he’s paved the way with plenty of accolades in his wake. Now, with the current shift to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and the potential arrival of Zion Williamson, it’s worth taking a look at the top 30 players in Hornets/Pelicans franchise history.
Dante Cunningham was quite a journeyman during his NBA career, which saw him play for seven different teams across the span of 10 seasons. One of his more notable stops came when he was a member of the Pelicans from 2014-18 when he was a valuable reserve.
Cunningham has spent most of his career with the Pelicans, spanning across 263 games with 132 starts. He blossomed from the 3-point line during his third season in New Orleans in 2016-17 when he made a career-high 71 3-pointers and shot 39.2 percent from 3-point range.
In the season prior, Cunningham made a total of 55 3-pointers, while attempting a career-high 174 shots from 3-point land. It wasn’t until his arrival in New Orleans that he started developed his 3-point shot and since then, he’s excelled. In the seasons before 2015, he took a combined 38 3-point attempts with five different teams.
He’s developed into a wing who plays his role as slasher and rebounder well on the offensive end. On the defensive end, he’s typically tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best player for better or worse. Cunningham produced 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point range.
Prior to the NBA trade deadline during the 2017-18 NBA season, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for Rashad Vaughn where he finished out the year. In 2018-19, he appeared mostly as a reserve for the San Antonio Spurs, making 64 appearances and 21 starts.
Back during the early days as the Hornets, Jason Smith was once a player well on his way to a solid career before injuries derailed all that. Smith was traded to the Hornets during the 2010 NBA offseason with Willie Green for Darius Songalia and Craig Brackins.
He averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest across 77 appearances (six starts) during his first season with the Hornets. In one of his six starts, he scored a then career-high 20 points against the Washington Wizards on Feb. 1, 2011, in a 97-89 victory.
Smith signed a three-year deal worth $7.5 million the following season and went on to produce a career-high 26 points on April 7, 2012, in a 99-90 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the lockout-shortened season, the first of a slew of injuries came about for Smith. He suffered a concussion on Feb. 4, 2012 against the Detroit Pistons, causing him to miss 26 games, though he was able to come back and put up career numbers.
A torn right labrum injury in 2012-13 caused him to miss 31 games, as he had to have surgery to repair it. Smith produced 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game across 51 appearances off the bench that season.
In 2013-14, following their name change to the Pelicans, Smith was limited by injury once again. He appeared in just 31 games during his final season with the Pelicans due to a season-ending knee injury.
He was averaging a career-best 9.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before being sidelined with his injury. That following season, Smith joined the New York Knicks as a free agent.
Al-Farouq Aminu is another current NBA player that saw his profile rise with the Hornets/Pelicans before moving on to another squad. Aminu made 157 starts in his 222 appearances in New Orleans, putting together quite the developing career.
He averaged 6.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game during his initial season with them in 2011-12. He was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers alongside Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and a first-round pick for Chris Paul to the Hornets in a blockbuster trade.
Rebounding became his forte as a member of the New Orleans franchise. During his second season in the league, he racked up a career-high 20 total rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks back on April 17, 2013. Eight of his 20 boards were of the offensive variety, which is also a career-high.
During that season, Aminu averaged a career-high 7.7 rebounds per contest to go along with 7.3 points, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He started in 71 of 76 games as well, a testament to improvements in his game.
His 585 total rebounds during the regular season rank second among his best single-season performances. He’s emerged in recent seasons as a pivotal role player for the Portland Trail Blazers.
As it stands, he ranks ninth all-time in New Orleans franchise history in total rebounds with 1,389 and offensive rebounds with 363. He averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game during his time with the Pelicans/Hornets and is still enjoying a career in the NBA.
Omer Asik was one of the more notable rebounders during his time with the Pelicans. He was traded to New Orleans from the Houston Rockets as part of a three-team trade and the trade didn’t slow his progress on the boards much.
He led the league in total rebounds with Houston during the 2013-14 NBA season with 956 total rebounds. During the 2014-15 NBA season, his first as a member of the Pelicans, he ranked seventh in the NBA in offensive rebounds with 244 and total rebounds with 748 by season’s end.
He snagged a personal-best 18 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns in a 90-75 victory on April 10, 2015. Asik produced 7.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game through 76 appearances, all starts that year.
During the 2015-16 campaign, Asik put up a career-high 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the floor on April 13, 2016, though it came in a 144-109 loss. The highlights of Asik would only last briefly, however.
As his time went on New Orleans, his appearances and production dropped due to a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. During the 2016-17 NBA season, he appeared in just 31 games and made 19 starts, averaging 2.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest.
As a result of the disease, he was forced to miss eight months from the NBA and lost roughly 30 pounds. During the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline in February, he was moved to the Chicago Bulls, where he was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis and was waived by the team.
Through 189 appearances, Asik averaged 4.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for New Orleans. Although his time was cut short, his contributions were certainly felt.
Alexis Ajinca was another one of those indispensable big men for the Pelicans. After playing out of the NBA from 2011-13, he joined the Pelicans as a free agent. He enjoyed quite the productive career in New Orleans, setting a few career marks in his path.
After brief stints with the then-Charlotte Bobcats, the Dallas Mavericks and the Toronto Raptors, he signed a multi-year deal with New Orleans during the 2014 NBA offseason. His first season with the Pelicans (2013-14), he appeared in 56 games, starting in a career-high 30 games. In 17.0 minutes of action, Ajinca averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 54.6 percent shooting from the floor.
He racked up a career-high 443 points and 315 rebounds during his second season with the Pelicans, while producing 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 14.1 minutes of action per contest. His number of starts dropped to eight, but he appeared in a career-high 68 games.
During the 2015-16 NBA season, he registered some of the best numbers of his career. He achieved a career-high 28 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 8, 2016, in a 110-102 victory. He also snagged a career-high 15 rebounds in the contest. Ajinca averaged 6.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in 14.6 minutes per game during the regular season.
Ajinca finished his career averaged 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game through 222 appearances with the Pelicans when his career came to an end in 2016-17. He ranks 12th all-time in franchise history in total rebounds (1,038) and 10th in offensive rebounds (319).
Emeka Okafor enjoyed quite the career in the NBA. Once as the centerpiece for the then-Charlotte Bobcats then in 2009-10, when he was traded by the Bobcats to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler.
He arrived in New Orleans after putting up 14.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and won the 2004-05 NBA Rookie of the Year award as a member of the Bobcats. He was traded during a time when his value was at his highest.
Okafor appeared in all 82 games during his first season (2009-10) with the Hornets, producing 10.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest. While he didn’t achieve career-high numbers, he showed flashes of his abilities as a force in the paint, racking up 27 double-doubles, his personal-best with New Orleans.
During the 2010-11 NBA season, his double-double total dropped to 23, but he averaged 10.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest, as the Hornets made the NBA Playoffs. New Orleans fell in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers, as Okafor produced 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in the first-ever playoff appearance of his career.
The next season, he missed the final 39 games of the season due to a season-ending knee injury. Okafor averaged 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game through 207 appearances with the Hornets. He ranks seventh in franchise history in total rebounds (1,759) and sixth in offensive rebounds (598).
He made a second comeback with the Pelicans during the 2017-18 NBA season, appearing in 26 games and making 19 starts, though sparingly.
The most productive seasons of point guard Tim Frazier‘s career have come with the Pelicans. He had to battle his way into the league, going undrafted as a member of the 2014 NBA Draft class.
As an undrafted rookie, he appeared in just 11 games for the Philadelphia 76ers (six) and the Portland Trail Blazers (five). During the 2015-16 NBA season after being waived by Portland, he signed a 10-day contract with the Pelicans and fit in well enough to earn a multi-year deal.
In 2016-17, he appeared in a career-high 65 games (35 starts) to produce 7.1 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds per contest. He poured in a career-high at the time of 21 points on two different occasions during the regular season.
Frazier nearly posted a triple-double against the Golden State Warriors with 21 points, 10 assists and six rebounds back on Oct. 28, 2016. Then on Nov. 22, 2016, he put up 21 points, 14 assists and five rebounds against the Atlanta Hawks on the road. He also managed to dish a career-high 15 assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves back on April 13, 2016, of the same season.
Following his second year with the team, the Pelicans traded him to the Washington Wizards, where he spent the 2017-18 NBA season. After his contract ended, he returned to the Pelicans in 2018-19 before they traded him again to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Frazier produced 7.1 points, 5.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game through 128 appearances for the Pelicans as a solid reserve point guard. He ranks ninth in franchise history in total assists (661).
Desmond Mason was quite the savvy veteran when he arrived in New Orleans/Oklahoma City as a member of the Hornets franchise. He had already won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2001, becoming the first player in Seattle SuperSonics franchise history to win the contest. As an All-Rookie performer, his career had quite the highlights prior to his arrival.
After posting productive seasons with the then-SuperSonics and the Milwaukee Bucks, Mason brought his talents to the Hornets’ franchise. While he didn’t win any dunk contests, he did manage to have a productive time.
Mason appeared in 145 contests (130 starts) across two seasons as a double-figure scorer and rim-runner on the wing. He produced 10.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game through 70 appearances in his first season with the Hornets. In his second year, he saw a boost in his production with an increase in starts.
He averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game on 45.2 percent shooting from the field. He put up a personal-best 28 points twice during the regular season, ironically two days apart.
On Jan. 6, 2007, he put up 28 points on 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) shooting from the field. Then on Jan. 8, he posted 28 points on 10-of-18 (55.6 percent) shooting from the floor.
Mason finished his two seasons with the franchise putting up 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. When his contract ended after the 2006-07 NBA season, Mason re-joined the Bucks as a free agent.
Marco Belinelli has had some quality stops during his career as a sharpshooter that can fill it up on the wing. The Hornets were one of the European star’s more productive stops back in 2010. He was traded by the Toronto Raptors to New Orleans during the 2010 NBA offseason for Julian Wright after just 66 games in a Raptors uniform.
Belinelli appeared in 80 games (69 starts) for the Hornets during the 2010-11 NBA season, averaging 10.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 41.4 percent from 3-point range on the season. He ranked 17th in the NBA that year in 3-pointers made and 19th in 3-point field goal percentage, while making 1.7 3-pointers per game that year.
It was also the year Belinelli made his debut appearance in the NBA Playoffs. Through six games, he averaged 9.7 points per game, an experience that would come in handy a few seasons later in his career.
The following season, he appeared in 66 games, starting in 55 of them, while producing 11.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. He shot 37.7 percent from behind the arc on 1.6 made shots from 3-point land. Belinelli ranked 16th in the league in 3-pointers made (107) as well.
He made a career-high seven 3-pointers on 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) shooting from 3-point range back on March 29, 2012, against the Portland Trail Blazers. Following the 2011-12 NBA season, he signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bulls, ending his run in New Orleans.
E’Twaun Moore has spent the past three seasons as a member of the Pelicans. He’s developed into quite the scorer on the hardwood since joining the team back in 2016. After spending time with the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic and the Chicago Bulls, Moore signed a multi-year deal with the Pelicans during the 2016 NBA offseason.
In his first season, Moore emerged as a primary reserve, averaging 9.6 points, 2.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game in 24.9 minutes of action. It was the first season he averaged at least 1.0 3-point attempts per contest, knocking down 1.1 per contest in 2016-17.
During the 2017-18 NBA season, he produced a career-high 12.5 points per game to go along with 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game through a career-high 82 appearances.
He poured in a career-high 36 points back on Dec. 11, 2017, against the Houston Rockets, though it came in a 130-123 loss. He made a career-high 15 field goals in the game while attempting 20 shots, also a career-best.
Moore drained a career-high 1.6 3-pointers per game, while shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point land. He sank a career-best 128 3-pointers, while showing off his development in the rotation.
This past season, Moore averaged 11.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, while shooting a career-high 43.2 percent from 3-point range. He put up three more 30+ point performances to lift his career total to five now.
As he continues to grow in New Orleans, look for him to rise in these rankings. He currently ranks ninth all-time in franchise history in 3-pointers made with 281 and 13th in total points with 2,355.
Marcus Thornton is a sharpshooting role player that got his career off to a hot start with the Hornets. He was selected No. 43 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft from the LSU Tigers, known for his ability to fill it up in a hurry.
He was selected as an All-Rookie performer during the 2009-10 NBA season, putting up 14.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest in 73 appearances off the bench. He shot 37.4 percent from 3-point range on 1.6 3-point makes per game on the season.
In Thornton’s first season in the NBA, he put up career numbers in points (1,057) and 3-pointers made (117). He put up 37 points as a rookie off the bench on 15-of-22 (68.2 percent) shooting from the floor and 3-of-7 (42.9 percent) shooting from 3-point land in his best game of the year.
Thornton also made a rookie-best six 3-pointers in a 30-point performance off the bench back on March 1, 2010, against the San Antonio Spurs. He finished the game shooting 6-of-7 from the 3-point arc and 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) from the field.
During his second season, Thornton didn’t have as quite of a successful campaign, posting 7.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest, sparking a trade move at the 2011 NBA Trade Deadline in February. He was dealt to the Sacramento Kings in the first of four trades he’s been involved with in his nine-year career in the league.
Greivis Vasquez is a combo guard that had a productive stint with the Hornets from 2011 to 2013. Vasquez didn’t start right away, but given his production as a reserve, he forced the hands of the coaching staff.
Vasquez was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2010 NBA Draft as the No. 28 overall pick but after one season, the Grizzlies traded him to New Orleans for Quincy Pondexter.
He produced 8.9 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds through 66 appearances (26 starts) during the 2011-12 NBA season with the Hornets. He finished 20th in the league in assists per contest.
In the following season, he started in all 78 games he appeared in, averaging a career-high 13.9 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per contest. He finished the year first in total assists (704) and third in assists per game.
Despite only appearing in 144 contests, Vasquez ranks fourth in franchise history total assists with 1,042 and assists per game average. In his time with the New Orleans Hornets, he averaged 11.6 points, 7.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
During the 2013 NBA offseason, he was shipped off once again, this time to the Sacramento Kings as part of a three-team trade. He would go on to play for four more teams in the league before his career came to an end after the 2016-17 NBA season.
Darius Miller has had quite an interesting career with the Pelicans, but in the past few seasons, he’s seemed to find his way in the rotation. Miller was drafted No. 46 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Pelicans and has remained on their roster, more or less, since then.
Miller played in 52 games, though sparingly as a rookie, averaging 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point land. He appeared in 45 games the next season, putting up 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists per contest.
In his third season, his playing time went down to just a total of five games, showing he needed more development. He didn’t play in the NBA from 2015 to 2017, but when he returned, he returned a better player.
During the 2017-18 NBA season, he shot 41.1 percent from behind the arc, while producing 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest through 82 appearances. His 147 made 3-pointers ranks fourth on the team’s all-time franchise list of 3-pointers made in a season.
In 2018-19, he put up a career-high 8.2 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting from 3-point land. He still averaged 1.9 makes from behind the arc, but he made fewer attempts than in the year prior with 133.
With 327 made 3-pointers, Miller currently ranks ninth in franchise history behind some future of Hall of Famers. It’s quite the company to be in considering the journey he’s been on.
Baron Davis got his career jump-started with the Hornets franchise beginning with their relocation in 2002-03. He was taken No. 3 overall in the 1999 NBA Draft out of UCLA by the original Charlotte Hornets. After playing a backup role, he emerged as an NBA All-Star.
He appeared in 50 games for New Orleans during the 2002-03 NBA season, putting up 17.1 points, 6.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest on 35 percent shooting from behind the arc. The following season, he averaged a career-high 22.9 points per game along with 7.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and a league-leading 2.4 steals per contest.
Davis began to show his prowess as floor general on one end and a pest on the other with the second NBA All-Star Game appearance of his career during the 2003-04 campaign. He made a career-high 2.8 3-pointers per game, while shooting 32.1 percent from 3-point range.
Davis made a career-high seven 3-pointers in a battle with the Indiana Pacers back on Nov. 21, 2003, that ended in a 76-75 loss. While the Hornets lost, it showed just how valuable Davis would become in his career in the near future.
The following season, he dished out a personal-best 17 assists in a 121-117 victory over the Sacramento Kings. The victory snapped a 10-game losing skid for the Hornets.
After 18 games with the Hornets during the 2004-05 NBA season, Davis was traded to the Golden State Warriors for Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis. Through 136 appearances (126 starts) in New Orleans, Davis averaged 20.2 points, 7.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals per contest.
Jamal Mashburn was one of the most overwhelming small forwards in the NBA. Lingering knee issues caused his career’s early demise, but when he joined the Hornets, things looked like they were changing for the better.
Before his career came to an end, Mashburn found his magic, at least for one season. He played in all 82 games, starting in all but one during his first season with the relocated franchise. He averaged 21.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, a career-high 5.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game, while earning the one and only NBA All-Star Game appearance of his career that year.
The 12-year NBA veteran scored a career-high 50 points during the 1994-95 NBA season while he was with the Dallas Mavericks. He touched that same total on Feb. 21, 2003 in a gritty 125-123 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mashburn put up a career-high two triple-doubles and another 40-point against the Orlando Magic on March 26, 2003. His scoring outburst went all the way into postseason play, where he averaged 24.8 points, 5.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game on 40 percent shooting from 3-point land. He also made Third-Team All-NBA, the first selection of his career.
It looked like he was back to his old self once again, and then he wasn’t. He appeared in only 19 games the following season, missing time due to right knee irritation. He developed patella femoral irritation in his knee through wear-and-tear in the league.
Mashburn was eventually traded to the Philadelphia 76ers while sitting out the 2004-05 NBA season, where he ended up retiring.
Trevor Ariza has emerged as a solid two-way wing in the NBA across his 14-year career. He spent a few seasons with the Hornets and through his time, emerged as an eventual asset on the trade market.
He joined the Hornets franchise as an NBA champion, having previously won an NBA title as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2008-09 NBA season. Ariza started in all 75 games he appeared in during the 2010-11 campaign.
He averaged 11.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game on the wing, as New Orleans went 46-36 and made the 2011 NBA Playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the West.
Ariza played a solid role in the all-around frontcourt with Chris Paul running things at the point guard position. He snagged a career-high six steals twice during the 2010-11 NBA season.
During his second year, he averaged double-figures once again in the starting rotation with 10.8 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per contest through 41 appearances.
Following the 2011-12 NBA season, he was traded alongside Emeka Okafor to the Washington Wizards for Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick in 2012 NBA Draft.
He’s moved around some more, but he’s currently an unrestricted free agent after spending the 2018-19 NBA season with the Phoenix Suns and the Wizards across 69 appearances. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game through 43 starts with the Wizards.
Jarrett Jack spent just two seasons with the Hornets, but his production was enough to earn him a spot on this all-time franchise players list. With his ability to score and make plays, Jack was an instant hit in the Hornets rotation.
He joined the squad during the 2010-11 NBA season via trade from the Toronto Raptors. He appeared in 70 contests with the Hornets that year, putting up 8.5 points, 2.6 assists and 1.9 rebounds per contest as the backup guard to Chris Paul and Trevor Ariza.
During his second year (2011-12), Jack moved to the point guard position, where he really excelled. He appeared in 45 games (35 starts), producing 15.6 points, 6.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Jack produced a career-high in points per game, while shooting 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
He put up 30 points, the best single-game performance during his time with the Hornets, back on March 14, 2012, against the Los Angeles Lakers. Though they fell in overtime, it put the league on notice of Jack’s abilities.
As one of the “veterans” and leaders on the squad with the fourth-most experience on the team at the time, he also dished out 11 assists on three separate occasions including a triple-double performance (17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds) on March 21, 2012, against the Golden State Warriors. It is the lone triple-double of his career.
Following the 2011-12 NBA season, Jack was traded yet again to Golden State in a three-team deal. He went on to play for five other teams, including a short two-game stint with the Pelicans in 2016-17.
Jamaal Magloire was one of the more underrated big men with the Hornets during his playing days from 2002 to 2005. He was quite the journeyman during his NBA career, making appearances with seven different franchises, but his stay in New Orleans was the most productive.
Magloire made the only NBA All-Star Game appearance of his career during the 2003-04 campaign, while appearing and starting in all 82 games. He produced 13.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists per game, while producing a career-high 45 double-doubles as a dependable force on the interior.
It was a career season for Magloire in points and rebounds per game, as veteran Jamal Mashburn worked his way back to the hardwood from injury. He set the tone in the second game of the regular season with a career-high 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor on Oct. 30, 2003.
Before emerging as a paint protector and top rebounder in the league, Magloire had a lot more to his game in his early years. He was a solid frontcourt option with a young Baron Davis leading the way at point guard for the team.
Through 187 appearances, he averaged 11.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals per game for the Hornets. Following a limited role during the 2004-05 NBA season in which he made 23 appearances, Magloire was traded prior to the 2005-06 NBA season to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Magloire still ranks sixth all-time in franchise history in rebounds (1,776) and blocks (235). He was only in New Orleans for a short stint but through it all, he showed why he’s considered one of the best players in franchise history.
David Wesley was a savvy veteran combo guard that set the bar in the backcourt alongside veteran Baron Davis in the early days of the Hornets in New Orleans. He re-invented some parts of his game, becoming more of a scorer and less of a distributor in New Orleans.
Wesley started in 159 of 160 appearances he made for the Hornets at the shooting guard spot. He was an efficient shooter from the wing, averaging 15.2 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game on 37.3 percent shooting from behind the arc.
He put up 16.7 points, 3.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 42.4 percent from 3-point land during the 2002-03 NBA season, their first year as a franchise in New Orleans.
Wesley scored 35 points, a personal-best with the franchise, in a 125-123 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies back on Feb. 21, 2003. He ranked fourth in field goal percentage in the NBA and 13th that year in 3-point field goals made with a career-high 134 makes.
With eight years of experience already under his belt, Wesley slowly emerged as a key piece for a franchise on the rise. He averaged 5.6 field goals and 1.6 3-pointers as a model of consistency in the backcourt. He made 254 3-pointers and dished out 535 assists as a member of New Orleans.
Wesley reinvented himself during the latter part of his career, emerging as a sharpshooter as his career came to a close. In December 2004, he was traded to the Houston Rockets for Jim Jackson and Bostjan Nachbar.
P.J. Brown is a familiar name to many in the NBA, so it’s no surprise he’s one of the top players to appear in a New Orleans uniform.
The 15-year veteran appeared with six different teams across the NBA. When the Hornets relocated from Charlotte to New Orleans, he emerged as a leader on the hardwood.
Brown had some of the best scoring seasons of his career in New Orleans. He put up 10.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during their first season in town in 2002-03.
He finished with over 800 total points (832) during the 2002-03 NBA season for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign, back when he played with the then-New Jersey Nets.
He scored over 800 total points in three consecutive seasons with the Hornets from 2002 to 2005. Across 315 appearances, he produced 10.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game with the New Orleans franchise.
With a veteran crew of Baron Davis, Jamal Mashburn and Darrell Armstrong, Brown played a pivotal role in the starting rotation despite being on the back-end of his career.
During their first year in New Orleans, they went 47-35 in the Eastern Conference, making the first of seven postseason appearances in their 17-year existence.
Brown remains third all-time in franchise history in rebounds (2,675) and seventh all-time in franchise history in points (3,231). He made the most of his stop in New Orleans. In the final season of his career in 2007-08, he won an NBA title as a reserve for the Boston Celtics.
Rasual Butler was one of the more underrated shooters in New Orleans franchise history. He wasn’t a starter, but as a primary reserve, he played his role well as a sharpshooter off the bench.
Butler emerged as a sharpshooter off the bench for the Miami Heat during the first three seasons of his career starting in 2002. In his second year with the Heat (2003-04), he shot 46.3 percent from behind the arc during the regular season.
During the 2005 offseason, he was traded as part of a five-team deal by the Heat to the Hornets. His role expanded a ton when he joined the Hornets, with an emerging crew of Chris Paul and David West.
In his first year with the team, he knocked down 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) 3-point attempts in a 32-point performance. The Hornets won the game 120-108 victory in a game that saw Chris Paul and David West both put up 20+ points.
Butler knocked down a career-high 33 points during the 2006-07 NBA season against the Chicago Bulls back on Dec. 1, 2006. He shot 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from 3-point land, although the performance came in a 3-point defeat. He wasn’t a volume shooter, but he’s a player that can catch fire in a hurry.
The best season of Butler’s career came in 2008-09 when he put up 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game on 39 percent shooting from behind the arc. He knocked down a then career-high 140 3-pointers as a member of the Hornets.
He drained 410 3-pointers across his four-year tenure in New Orleans. He ranks fifth all-time in franchise history in 3-pointers made, despite his short stay with the team.
Tyreke Evans has been a bit of an enigma during his time in the NBA. He was selected No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft where his career got off to a fast start. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award as a member of the Sacramento Kings, showing off his potential as a scorer from all over the floor.
Four seasons into his time in Sacramento, Evans was putting up 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game as an emerging volume shooter. He shot 44.8 percent from the field on 6.5 makes per game and 14.4 shot attempts per contest.
Following the 2012-13 NBA season, he was shipped off to the Pelicans as part of a three-team trade. In his debut season, he emerged as the Pelicans most productive reserve, averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in 72 appearances.
Evans scored a career-high 41 points during his first season in New Orleans. He shot 14-of-26 (53.8 percent) from the field against the Oklahoma City Thunder back on April 14, 2014.
As a full-time starter in 2014-15, he produced 16.6 points, 6.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game through 79 appearances and a career-high 76 starts. Evans shot 30.4 percent from 3-point land, showing off his combo guard ability. He dished out a career-high 521 assists as a member of the Pelicans.
Evans leaves ranked ninth all-time in total points (2,982) and third in assists (1,139) in New Orleans franchise history. As one of the premier two-way guards in the league, he’s certainly in the conversation as one of the top players in franchise history.
Tyson Chandler was one of the most memorable big men to appear with Oklahoma City/New Orleans, although he only appeared with the team for three seasons of his tenured career.
Chandler began his career with the Chicago Bulls as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He spent five seasons with the Bulls before being traded to the Hornets in the 2006 NBA offseason.
In the early going, he was the ideal big man to complement Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic and David West. He recorded 904 rebounds, then a career-best, during the 2006-07 campaign with the Hornets, finishing third in the league overall in total rebounds.
He snagged 20+ rebounds on five different occasions, including a personal-best 23 against the Memphis Grizzlies back on Feb. 13, 2007.
During the 2007-08 NBA season, Chandler registered a career-high 38 double-doubles as a member of the Hornets. He posted games with 20+ rebounds four different occasions during the regular season this time around. New Orleans finished the year with a 56-26 record with Chandler playing a pivotal role.
He averaged 11.8 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as an anchor in the paint for the franchise. He racked up a career-high 929 points and 606 rebounds (302 offensive) during the regular season.
The Hornets would go on to fall in seven games to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. They didn’t have quite the veteran firepower that the Spurs had, losing the series in the end.
Chandler was eventually traded to the then-Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor. He still ranks fourth all-time in franchise history in total rebounds (2,225), blocks (269) and 16th in total points (2,016).
Ryan Anderson was a sharpshooting forward in the rotation alongside Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday during his time with the Hornets/Pelicans.
Anderson moved around a bit during his first few seasons in the NBA. He was drafted by the then-New Jersey Nets with the No. 21 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft out of the University of California, Berkeley.
He was traded to the Orlando Magic during the 2009 NBA offseason. After three seasons with the Magic, he was traded to New Orleans during the 2012 NBA offseason.
Anderson appeared in 81 games his first year (2012-13) with the Hornets, averaging 16.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He shot 38.2 percent from 3-point land and made 2.6 shots from behind the arc as a primary reserve off the bench.
By his third season, Anderson and company were 45-37 in the Western Conference and their first appearance in the postseason in three years. He produced 13.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 36.6 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Anderson made a total of 533 3-pointers as a member of the New Orleans franchise, ranking second all-time among franchise leaders. Following the 2015-16 campaign, he left the Pelicans, signing a multi-year deal with the Houston Rockets.
Through 230 appearances, mostly as a reserve, Anderson produced 16.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, while shooting 37.1 percent from 3-point land and averaging 2.3 makes from behind the arc.
Eric Gordon was one player who enjoyed a rollercoaster career as a member of the Hornets/Pelicans. While he’s become quite the shooter with the Houston Rockets, he showed flashes of his brilliance in his early stages in New Orleans.
Gordon originally began his career with the Los Angeles Clippers as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. After three seasons, he was traded in a blockbuster deal to New Orleans for Chris Paul.
During his first season with the team, he appeared in just nine games while battling a knee injury. He got off to a promising start, scoring 20 points, four rebounds and three assists in his debut game, but a lingering knee injury sidelined him for an extended amount of time.
In 2012-13, he returned for 42 games (40 starts) to average 17.0 points, 3.3 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game on 32.4 percent shooting from 3-point land. With lingering knee issues, he played a limited amount of time but still managed to lead the team in scoring that year.
The following year, he appeared in 64 games (a personal-best) and produced 15.4 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest, while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range.
During the 2014-15 campaign, he shot a career-high 44.8 percent and made 2.3 shots from behind the arc per game through 61 appearances.
Through 221 appearances, Gordon averaged 15.3 points on 39 percent shooting from 3-point range. He ranks fourth in franchise history in 3-point makes with 421. Following the 2016 season, he signed as a free agent with the Rockets, where he’s spent the last three seasons.
Peja Stojakovic was one of the premier shooters in the NBA. When he was a member of the Hornets, his ability was on full display. He made his mark already with the Sacramento Kings, making three-straight NBA All-Star Game appearances from 2002 to 2004 with the squad.
Stojakovic was well beyond his prime years when he joined the Hornets roster during the 2006-07 NBA season, but he knew his value as a veteran sharpshooter on the wing with Chris Paul at the point.
During the 2007-08 NBA season, he made 231 3-pointers, the second-most in his career, with the Hornets. He made a career-high 10 3-pointers and shot a career-high 44.1 percent from behind the arc that season, as New Orleans finished the regular season with a 56-26 record.
Stojakovic poured in a career-high 42 points on five made 3-pointers back on Nov. 14, 2006, against the then-Charlotte Bobcats. He shot 15-of-22 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range to a 94-85 victory in one of the best games of his career.
In the 2007-08 NBA season, he made a career-high 10 3-pointers with the Hornets back on Nov. 6, 2007, against the Los Angeles Lakers. He embraced his role as their sharpshooting veteran and it ultimately worked out for him.
He shot 43.3 percent from 3-point range during his tenure with the Hornets, averaging 2.6 3-point makes per game. He currently ranks first in New Orleans franchise history in 3-pointers made with 553. During the 2010-11 NBA season, he was traded away to the Toronto Raptors.
Jrue Holiday is a young emerging star in the backcourt for the Pelicans. He began his career with the Philadelphia 76ers after being taken No. 19 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. He spent four seasons with the 76ers before being traded to the Pelicans during the 2013 NBA offseason.
Holiday fought the injury bug during his first two years in New Orleans, appearing in just 74 games from 2013 to 2015, but he’s found his stride since recovering from his myriad of injuries
During the 2015-16 NBA season, he appeared in 65 contests, producing 16.8 points, 6.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, mostly as a reserve.
Since then, Holiday has emerged as a notable starter in the rotation for the Pelicans. He put up 15.4 points, 7.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game through 67 appearances (61 starts) during the 2016-17 NBA season.
He really upped his game in 2017-18, producing 19.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game through 81 appearances, all starts.
This past season, he put up a career-high 21.2 points per game to go along with 7.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest. Holiday has made the All-Defensive team in the past two seasons with the Pelicans. In 2017-18, he was a First-Team selection and in 2018-19, he was a Second-Team selection.
Holiday has built quite the legacy for himself with the Pelicans. With changes on the horizon, he’s one constant that should remain with the franchise in the future.
David West became a cornerstone for the Hornets during his tenure alongside Chris Paul, P.J. Brown and other big names.
West was taken as the No. 18 overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft out of Xavier University. He played sparingly during his first two seasons but in his third season, he took a turn as a full-time starter.
He started in a career-high 74 contests during the 2005-06 NBA season, putting up 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The Hornets went 38-44 after going 18-64 in the season prior.
It didn’t take West long to become a lethal combination alongside Paul in the pick-and-roll game. He put up a career-best 34 points against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 19, 2005. In a separate game, he snagged a career-best 18 rebound against the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 23, 2005.
West made the only two All-Star appearances of his NBA career with the Hornets in 2008 and 2009. He set career marks in points with 44 during the 2009-10 NBA season and rebounds with 20 during the 2008-09 campaign.
When his contract ended after the 2010-11 NBA season, he joined the Indiana Pacers as a free agent. He joined the San Antonio Spurs in 2015-16 and won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors before retiring after the 2017-18 NBA season.
Before the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul used to run things out West with the Hornets. He was selected as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft out of Wake Forest, where he built quite a name for himself.
He won the 2005-06 NBA Rookie of the Year award in his debut season, putting up 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game for the Hornets.
As a rookie, Paul racked up two triple-doubles and 21 double-doubles as the new face of the franchise. By his third season in New Orleans, he was leading the NBA in assists per game (11.7) and steals per game (2.7). Paul led the NBA in both categories in back-to-back seasons and led the league in steals per game during the 2010-11 campaign.
He dished out a career-high 21 assists during the 2007-08 NBA season. It was also the season in which he set his career mark for points in a game with 43.
Paul set a pretty high standard with the Hornets. At his peak, he quickly grew out of New Orleans. During the 2011 offseason, he was traded in a blockbuster deal to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Anthony Davis will go down as the all-time greatest player in Hornets/Pelicans franchise history, though his stay was cut short on his own terms. In seven seasons, Davis has emerged as one of the top two-way big men in the league.
The Pelicans drafted him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft fresh off a national title run with the Kentucky Wildcats. Davis didn’t win NBA Rookie of the Year, but he emerged as an All-Rookie performer in 2012-13 after producing 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per contest.
In his second season, Davis really elevated his game, averaging 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and a league-best 2.8 blocks per game. It’s the first of three blocks per game titles Davis has racked up. He also made the first of six straight NBA All-Star Game appearances with New Orleans.
He’s slowly become a franchise player in New Orleans, notching a career-high 59 points during the 2015-16 NBA season against the Detroit Pistons back on Feb. 21, 2016.
This past season, despite turmoil due to trade rumors, he snagged a career-high 26 rebounds against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 6, 2019.
He’s one of the best big men in the NBA today and has shown it with his efficiency and shot-blocking ability. He’s averaged 23.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 steals per contest through his 466 career games.
The Pelicans will look to move him this offseason, preferably before the 2019 NBA Draft. Either way, his contributions as their best player have been hard to ignore.