It seems impossible, but meaningful New Orleans Pelicans basketball is going to be here soon.
The Pelicans will be entering training camp with a much different roster that will have three new faces in the starting lineup.
The Pels are hoping the combination of Jonas Valanciunas, Devonte’ Graham will be a better fit than Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams and Lonzo Ball, but it’s debatable if the Pelicans have actually improved.
The Pelicans are going to be younger, but also faster and hopefully better defensively, but it all starts in training camp, where the Pels can start building those habits.
So when does it all kick off? Here are the most important dates.
New Orleans Pelicans: When does training camp start?
Training camps officially open on September 28th for all teams in the NBA. The New Orleans Pelicans will eventually have to do some roster shuffling, as they currently have too many players under contract.
When does 2021-22 NBA preseason begin?
The NBA preseason tips off on October 3rd with the Nets and Lakers, a matchup many think will be a preview of the NBA Finals.
The New Orleans Pelicans first preseason game is October 4th in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.
When does the 2021-22 NBA season begin?
The real games are now less than a month away, with the first matchup on October 19th. The New Orleans Pelicans won’t start until the following night, tipping off with a tough game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
This one will be interesting right away, as both Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram have been involved in a ton of trade rumors, sometimes involving each other.
There are plenty of games to look forward to on the schedule but the Pelicans are hoping to get out to a fast start right away, as the first part of their schedule is less daunting.