The New Orleans Pelicans’ 3 Best Lineups Will Surprise You
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t play many games at full strength, which is why their three best lineups might surprise you.
Looking at the best lineups for the New Orleans Pelicans is difficult, as they only played 19 games with Zion Williamson.
But it is interesting to see which lineups were most effective in 2019-20, as it gives a blueprint for what worked for the New Orleans Pelicans and what they need to improve.
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It could also factor in some of the decisions they have to make this offseason when it comes to their own guys, as a couple of soon-to-be free agents were parts of their most effective lineups.
For this exercise we only included lineups that played together for at least 50 minutes, which narrowed the list considerably, as only eight different lineups logged that much time on the floor together.
We balanced both offense and defense and found just three lineups that had a positive net rating. Obviously the sample size is too small to draw sweeping conclusions, but they do give some insight into what the New Orleans Pelicans might need moving forward.
Lineup #3
J.J. Redick
Jrue Holiday
Brandon Ingram
Kenrich Williams
Jaxson Hayes
90 minutes played: Offensive Rating 118.4/ Defensive Rating 100
This lineup will probably surprise some people, as it doesn’t include Zion Williamson or Lonzo Ball.
This was obviously a bench unit, so all of its minutes were against a second team, but the numbers are still impressive.
This lineup is one of the New Orleans Pelicans’ better defensive lineups with Jrue Holiday and Kenrich Williams on the perimeter and Jaxson Hayes protecting the rim.
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This is one of the strongest arguments for the Pelicans needing a defensive wing like Williams or someone similar, as it allows Brandon Ingram to do his thing on offense without having to guard the other team’s best wing.
This is a lineup that will get out and run, and has enough shooting to make teams pay in transition. This lineup (or some version of it depending on what happens with Williams) is likely to see more time next season.