The New Orleans Pelicans will have a lot of new names on the roster this season, which should lead to some interesting lineup combinations for coach Willie Green.
Green is going to be different than Stan Van Gundy in a lot of ways, but one of them is that he will be more flexible than SVG, who stuck with the same lineups and rotations for most of the season until some trades forced his hand.
The Pelicans jettisoned three of their starters to other teams so we will definitely see some new faces in the starting lineup and very different group closing games.
Regardless of who starts, there are some groups that I would love to see get run together at some point in the season, as they offer the Pelicans specific advantages.
The Pelicans can go with an all forward lineup
One of the biggest differences between the new-look Pels and last season is that the Pelicans now have a lot of position-less players who can slot into multiple spots.
I’ve always thought that the best way to use Zion Williamson is just to surround him with long, versatile defenders who can shoot, and the Pelicans finally have a few guys who fit that description.
Here is a group I think we’ll see. I am not going to list positions because it doesn’t really matter.
- Josh Hart
- Brandon Ingram
- Trey Murphy III
- Naji Marshall
- Zion Williamson
As you can see, this group doesn’t really have a point guard or a center, but when you have Zion, you don’t necessarily need players who fit those traditional roles.
This group is long, athletic and should have plenty of defensive versatility. It has enough shooting, as Hart, Ingram Murphy III and Marshall can all hit 3-point shots, and they would be able to get out and run.
I love the idea of Hart, Murphy III and Marshall hounding the perimeter, getting blocks and steals and then getting out in transition. This would be considered a “small ball” lineup, which is one way to use Zion Williamson, but the Pels could also go big.
The Pelicans can go big with Zion Williamson
Another way to use Zion Williamson is to put size around him, and I love the idea of lineups that include both Naji Marshall and Brandon Ingram.
Here is a group the Pels can use when they want to go big:
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- Brandon Ingram
- Naji Marshall
- Zion Williamson
- Jonas Valanciunas
I like the idea of putting Marshall with Ingram to cover him on the wing and allow him to take on the tougher defensive assignment.
This lineup might be light on shooting, depending on what happens with Valanciunas, who could be more like Brook Lopez on the Pelicans.
This group is well-balanced defensively and has great length on the perimeter. Ingram creates mismatches at the two and Valanciunas should be able to create enough space for them to operate.
Teams like the Lakers and Bucks are massive and a group like this will help the Pelicans match up effectively.
The Pelicans’ defensive bench unit
One thing I love about this season’s Pelicans is that the bench can go from a weakness to a weapon.
The Pelicans’ bench is going to be young and fast and should be able to use defensive pressure to create easy shots on the other end.
I love the idea of using a unit like this to inject some life into the team when they are struggling offensively or can’t get stops.
- Kira Lewis Jr.
- Herbert Jones
- Trey Murphy III
- Naji Marshall
- Jaxson Hayes
I know that Herbert Jones is a 2nd-round pick who may not play right away but he has a lot of Draymond Green qualities and I think it’s going to be tough to keep him off the floor because of his ability to defend and be that “glue guy.”
I love the idea of this group flying around on defense and using their length to get deflections, steals and blocks so they can get out and run.
We saw a little of this in Summer League, with Kira Lewis Jr. and Herb Jones hounding the ball and then pushing the pace.
The Pelicans are going to have a ton of options this season and I am excited to see the different groups Willie Green will use to gain specific advantages.