The New Orleans Pelicans went undefeated in the Summer League, but didn’t end up in the championship game after losing the tiebreaker.
Ultimately, Summer League is meaningless, as year after year we see guys who have a few huge games, get hyped for a day or two and then promptly disappear forever.
So let’s not get too excited about the Pels’ Summer League domination, as we’ve yet to see these guys with the regulars or against real NBA competition.
But the Pelicans did play well and there were some things we gleaned from these games.
Here are five things I took away from the Summer League, ranging from the play of the new draft picks to the trade with Memphis.
New Orleans Pelicans: Herbert Jones will make an impact this season
I don’t know if 2nd-round pick Herbert Jones will make the rotation right away, but I do know he will make an impact at some point this season either way.
Jones has shown himself to be a disruptive defender who really gets after it on that end and could provide some of the hustle and defense the Pelicans have lacked for the past two seasons.
Jones can defend all over the perimeter and most importantly, is dedicated to be good on that end. He is going to step up and take the tough defensive assignments.
He won’t be a guy who will fill the stat sheet every night or do a ton of scoring but his energy is undeniable and he’s going to be tough to keep on the bench or in the G-League for long.
New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Marshall is ready for the rotation
It became pretty clear early on that Naji Marshall did not belong in Summer League.
He was one of the best players for any team, filled the stat sheet every night, brought energy, showed some new moves on offense and played tenacious defense.
I also loved how he led the team both from the floor and from the bench, as the Pels were a quiet team last season that lacked any real vocal leaders.
Marshall can be that guy, as he doesn’t just talk, but leads with his energy, which is infectious.
I think the Pelicans had to have been impressed with what they’ve seen from Marshall so far, which may make it easier to allow Josh Hart to walk or to try and orchestrate a sign-and-trade for a guy like Buddy Hield.
Marshall has probably made Hart redundant, and while I’ll be sad to see Hart go if this is the case, Marshall has shown himself more than capable of being that 3-and-D guy off the bench and maybe more.
New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III is a legit defender
I was excited when the New Orleans Pelicans drafted Trey Murphy III, as he seemed like a guy who was tailor made to thrive in NOLA.
He fills a couple of immediate needs for the Pelicans as a long wing who can knock down 3-point shots at a high rate, but what was most impressive to me was his defense against some of the other top young players.
Murphy III had some marquee matchups with Patrick Williams, Evan Mobley and Jonathan Kuminga and looked great defensively against all three.
If Murphy III can guard up, it may be the key to the Pels unlocking their own version of small ball with 3M3 at center next to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram in situations where the Pels want to run or need a bucket.
Murphy III is stronger than advertised, has great length and is dedicated to getting better as a defender, so his ceiling is higher than people might have thought when he was selected with the 17th pick.
Speaking of the 17th pick…
New Orleans Pelicans: Did the Pels fleece the Memphis Grizzlies?
Ok, so it is too early to declare the Pelicans the clear cut winner of the trade that sent Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and the 10th pick to Memphis in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas and the 17th pick.
But it is looking really good for the Pelicans.
The Pels not only unloaded $35 million in salary but got the best player in the trade just for moving back seven spots in the draft.
It’s far too early to say that Trey Murphy III is going to be better than Ziaire Williams, but so far the returns look pretty good for the Pelicans.
The Pelicans might have gotten the two best players in the deal, and even if they didn’t, they still got rid of two guys who weren’t good fits and picked up a ton of cap space. The Grizzlies have since jettisoned Bledsoe to the Clippers for a similarly mediocre return, so I can’t imagine David Griffin could have done much better.
I’ve been the first to criticize Griffin, but I have to give him credit for that trade.
New Orleans Pelicans: Is Kira Lewis Jr. the starting point guard?
The Pelicans have several options when it comes to starting point guard, but Kira Lewis Jr. is definitely making his case after a strong Summer League.
Lewis Jr. has shown that he will distribute, run the offense and take care of the ball, so it will ultimately come down to how coach Willie Green sees him fitting with Zion Williamson.
If Lewis Jr. can continue to get better as a shooter, a pick-and-roll with him and Zion could be deadly, as Lewis Jr. can fly and we know Zion can finish in the lane.
I also love Kira in transition, and I do think Willie Green is going to have the team running more and pushing the pace.
We also know David Griffin is keen to have a starting backcourt of Kira Lewis Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker at some point, so I think it’s safe to say we will see it sooner rather than later.
The New Orleans Pelicans have to be excited by what they’ve seen from their young players so far and this team looks like it will be younger, faster and a lot more fun to watch.