New Orleans Pelicans: 1 question for each player at media day

New Orleans Pelicans: Questions for the young bench players at media day

Herb Jones- Which players have you most modeled your game after?

Jones is a defensive specialist who could be a lockdown defender for years if he can sort out some kind of offensive game. His resume is similar to Draymond Green and I’d be curious if he has modeled his game after Green or someone else.

Didi Louzada- Why should you get minutes this season?

Louzada is a bit of a wild card for the New Orleans Pelicans, as he has real talent but is still fairly raw, especially on the offensive end. I’m always curious to know how players view themselves in terms of the team, so what does Didi think (or that coaches have told him) he needs to do to get meaningful run this season. Does he think defense is the way into the rotation?

Naji Marshall- How do you view your role in terms of leadership?

The Pelicans have lacked a vocal leader since Jrue Holiday left and Marshall has shown that he might be that guy moving forward. He was very vocal in Summer League and seemed to be the leader of the team, so I wonder if he sees that translating to the regular season and if the coaches have mentioned being more of a leader.

Kira Lewis Jr.- What is the biggest difference between now and this time last year?

Kira Lewis Jr. was part of a rookie class that got denied a full offseason, training camp and G-League because of COVID, so I could see him making a big leap this season with more time to prepare. So what does he think is the biggest difference between rookie Kira and second-year Kira?

Trey Murphy III- Who do you see yourself defending in the NBA?

I think Murphy III has a good chance to thrive in New Orleans as a spot-up 3-point shooter, but if he really wants to make an impact, he needs to defend. We know Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are still works in progress on defense, so does Murphy III feel comfortable guarding power forwards? Shooting guards? Who does he think he matches up best against?

Jaxson Hayes- What kind of reaction have fans given to his off the court problems?

Hayes is going to be one of the busier players at media day and there’s a lot to talk about. He has yet to answer any questions about his altercation with the LAPD and I highly doubt he’ll speak on any specifics since the case might still be ongoing. Instead, I’d like to know if fans have mostly been supportive or critical of what happened in his interactions with them. Many fans were upset initially but might have changed their minds after seeing the full video. Has NOLA embraced Hayes or does he feel he needs to prove himself to fans?