Pelicans lineup: 3 players who could break into 2021-22 starting five

New Orleans Pelicans starting lineup with Naji Marshall

On paper Naji Marshall doesn’t look like a fit into the starting lineup, as he is a forward and the team already has two pretty good ones in the starting five in Zion and B.I.

But today’s NBA is more or less positionless, so if the Pelicans wanted to go big and bring in a guy who can defend the wing around Zion and Ingram, then Marshall could be an interesting option.

• PG: Devonte’ Graham/NAW
• F: Naji Marshall
• SF: Brandon Ingram
• PF: Zion Williamson
• C: Jonas Valanciunas

It doesn’t really matter what you call them, but this starting five has some interesting possibilities. Marshall would be the 3-and-D guy who takes on tough defensive assignments and makes a few 3-point shots.

Marshall is a versatile player who can fit into a lot of lineups, so we may see some less traditional rotations from Willie Green.

The New Orleans Pelicans have a lot more options than they did last season when the starting five  got really stale and had no chemistry. Let’s hope Willie Green can find the right combination of guys to turn things around.