The New Orleans Pelicans have not been at full strength all season, so the mantra has been “just wait until we’re healthy.”
Every team in the NBA suffers injuries, but few have been decimated like the Pels, who have been without Zion Williamson all season, and have had Brandon Ingram out at times as well.
Most of the focus has been on Zion of course, but the Pelicans also lost Kira Lewis Jr. for the season and newly-acquired veteran Larry Nance Jr. is also out after undergoing surgery.
Losing Zion was obviously the big blow, but these other injuries have affected the Pels’ depth and left them with a rotation that has struggled to fill the gaps at times.
But when this team is finally at full strength, they are absolutely going to be trouble for the rest of the NBA. Just take a look at this starting lineup and rotation.
The New Orleans Pelicans at full strength
When/if the Pelicans are ever fully healthy, this team is going to be a nightmare, with arguably the best starting five in the NBA and a strong bench that should complement them well.
- CJ McCollum/Jose Alvarado/Kira Lewis Jr.
- Brandon Ingram/Devonte’ Graham
- Herb Jones/Tony Snell (or his replacement)/Trey Murphy III
- Zion Williamson/Larry Nance Jr.
- Jonas Valanciunas/Jaxson Hayes
The starting lineup has the potential to score 90 points a game, while the bench will offer change-of-pace guards in Alvarado and Lewis Jr. as well as long forwards in Snell and Nance Jr. who provide shooting and toughness.
Jaxson Hayes could be the X-Factor, as his growth gives the Pelicans all types of lineup possibilities and the ability to go jumbo and create mismatches.
Of course, all of this is just theoretical until we see all of these players healthy and together in the lineup, so the optimism is somewhat tempered by the reality of Zion’s situation.
But it’s easy to see what David Griffin was up to making all of these moves, and if the Pelicans can add another impact bench player in the offseason, this team is a title contender at full strength and I don’t think that’s an overstatement.
The question is whether we will ever get to see it or if this team will remain a distant dream.