The New Orleans Pelicans Have the Best Young Core in the NBA
The New Orleans Pelicans: Not Just Zion
It would be easy to look at the Pelicans’ roster and record and think that they are underachieving. They are nine games under .500, out of the playoffs and had a historically bad start to the season. But with both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram missing significant time with injuries, it’s impossible to grade the Pelican’s team success thus far. Since Zion’s return the Pelicans have been a different team, and with Ingram returning after the All-Star break, the Pelicans have an outside chance at the eight seed in the competitive Western Conference. Not bad for a team being led by a bunch of players under 25.
Zion is just 19, and with no offense to Morant, is the best rookie in the league and one of the best overall since Anthony Davis hit the scene. As long as Williamson stays healthy he is going to be a generational superstar who just keeps getting better. He’s already a game-changing force in the paint, a powerful offensive rebounder and a dynamic shot blocker off the ball.
Ingram is only 22-years-old and just made his first All-Star game after establishing himself as one of the best combo forwards in the league. John Hollinger has him ranked as the seventh best small forward in the NBA and he’s the youngest player on the list. Ingram is averaging 24.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, all career highs. He’s shooting 40 percent from behind the arc and it appears that the Pelicans hit a home run with the centerpiece of the Davis trade. Ingram is a restricted free agent at the end of the season, but the Pelicans have every chance to extend his contract and make him one of the cornerstones of the team.
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Lonzo Ball is also just 22 and has emerged as floor leader and all-around talent at point guard, adding 6.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds to his 11.9 points per game. Josh Hart has also established himself as a solid contributor at age 24, getting 10.6 points per game and 6.4 rebounds in one of the pleasant surprises of the season.
Jaxson Hayes is just 19 but has shown exciting athleticism and potential. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Frank Jackson are only 21 and have also shown signs of being solid rotation players in the NBA.
That is a talented young core of seven players that doesn’t even include Nicolo Melli, who was in the Rising Stars Challenge but is a bit older at age 29. In total the Pelicans have the best rookie in the league, a 22-year-old All Star, three players in the Rising Stars Challenge and three solid rotation players who have not yet approached their ceilings.
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The Pelicans are deep with young talent and have a chance to keep them all together or make a big splash in the trade market. It’s not hard to imagine this young team making a deep run in the playoffs as early as next season. The New Orleans Pelicans combination of youth, talent and cap space make them the envy of much of the league. Things are looking good in New Orleans.