The New Orleans Pelicans had an up and down 2021-22 season that opened the possibilities for an exciting future.
The Pels bounced back and made the playoffs after a terrible start, took the Suns to six games and looked every bit the part of an up-and-coming playoff team that is ready to make the leap into contention.
Zion Williamson missed the entire season, they had a first-time head coach and were playing three rookies big minutes, so this wasn’t a team that was expected to make the playoffs.
But the Pels just kept fighting, won over the fans with their defense and hustle and took the next logical step towards contention by making the play-in and winning their way into the playoffs.
Ring culture has absolutely RUINED NBA fandom, as you have Lakers’ fans mocking New Orleans for being excited about making the playoffs when obviously winning a ring is the only thing that really matters to the kids at the cool table.
What a miserable way to watch sports, which are supposed to be fun and entertaining, not a contest for which fan base can be more “elite” by pretending not to care that their team didn’t even make the play-in.
Pardon me for actually enjoying basketball and wanting to see my poverty franchise play more games, even if they ultimately come up short.
Here are five takeaways from what was ultimately a fun, entertaining and promising season for the New Orleans Pelicans.
New Orleans Pelicans: 5 takeaways from a promising season
No. 1: The Pelicans are close
By my estimation, the Pelicans are exactly one Zion Williamson away from contending for a title next season.
If he is fully healthy, they have one of the best “Big 3’s” in the NBA, a solid supporting cast that is a mixture of young players and veterans and a top-10 pick on the way. Thanks Lakers!
This team just took the best team in the NBA to six games without their best player, so they can go toe-to-toe with anyone when at full strength.
David Griffin took a lot of flack at the beginning of the season, but made the gutsy trade for CJ McCollum and somehow walked away with a top-10 pick even though his team made the playoffs.
The Pelicans are going to be good next season and for many years to come.
No.2: Willie Green is a real one
Man, I love Willie Green.
Watching the emotion from the OPPOSING TEAM after the Pels lost shows you exactly how much respect Willie Green has around the league.
He is both an X’s and O’s guy and a player’s coach who has the intellectual and emotional tools to be the next great coach in the NBA.
Be excited, New Orleans.
No. 3: Brandon Ingram is a superstar
I called Zion Williamson the Pelicans’ best player but I am not sure that is true, as Ingram made a leap this season to become a bonafide superstar.
He improved as a playmaker and defender, played with much more aggression on both ends, but also played smarter, knowing when to pick his spots to take over and not dominating the ball as much as he has in the past.
Ingram found another level in the playoffs and was often the best player on the floor. The Pelicans have two of the best under-25 players in the league and Ingram showed that he is deserving of being an All-Star and All-NBA.
No. 4: The Pelicans need another big man
The Suns were able to take advantage of the Pelicans by going small and forcing their bigs to try and switch on the perimeter, which they didn’t do very well.
Jonas Valanciunas had a great season but he is not very dynamic defensively and it showed in the playoffs, where every flaw gets exploited.
Jaxson Hayes is still developing on defense and is also not great at switching, so the Pels could use a third big man who is a little more versatile.
I like both Valanciunas and Hayes but it would be nice for the Pels to have a rim runner who can block shots and switch on the pick-and-roll.
No. 5: Expectations just got higher
Fans will expect the New Orleans Pelicans to be a playoff team and contender next season and anything short of that will be a disappointment. It is often much easier to play as the underdog when expectations are low. While we are all happy the Pelicans eventually made the playoffs, they were still 10 games under .500 and were helped by a mediocre Western Conference.
36 wins wouldn’t have sniffed the play-in in the Eastern Conference, so the Pels are still a long way from actually being a good team. That won’t matter to fans, who will expect the return of Zion to push the Pels into contention.
Success brings expectations and being the scrappy team that almost got there is not going to be enough next season.