The New Orleans Pelicans had one of the best drafts in the NBA last season, grabbing three players who were playing impact minutes in the playoffs as rookies.
Herbert Jones made the All-Rookie team and has already established himself as one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. He was also better-than-advertised offensively and now looks like a guy who could make the All-Star and All-Defensive teams some day.
Jose Alvarado went un-drafted and worked his way from a two-way deal onto the full time roster, becoming a fan favorite on the way. He was the heart of the Pelicans’ bench this season, a smothering defender whose energy was infectious.
Trey Murphy III started slowly this season but really started to come on down the stretch when he was more committed on the defensive end. We know TMIII can shoot the 3-ball but he showed himself to also be a decent defender, rebounder and a guy who can hit a clutch shot.
Going into the offseason all three will be trying to add to their games and make leaps in their second seasons.
New Orleans Pelicans: What each rookie needs to improve
Trey Murphy III: On-ball defense
I thought Murphy III’s intensity and effectiveness on the defensive end really picked up late in the season, which is why we started seeing him get more minutes. Willie Green made it clear in training camp that playing with defensive intensity was one of his non-negotiable rules.
Murphy III has good length but gets caught flat-footed on defense at times and needs to work on his lateral quickness to stay in front of faster wings. He the tendency to reach instead of moving his feet, which is something he needs to improve.
I thought Murphy III had a good rookie season overall, and I love that he was able to work his way into the rotation through defensive effort, but he has to continue to progress in that area.
New Orleans Pelicans: What each rookie needs to improve
Jose Alvarado: 3-point shooting
Jose Alvarado was one of the best stories of the 2021-22 NBA season, as he went from un-drafted to locking up Chris Paul in the playoffs, quite a journey for one of the most likable players in the league (as long as you aren’t a fan of the other team).
Alvarado is already very good at the things the Pelicans need him to do, which is facilitate the offense, set up teammates, take care of the ball and play smothering on-the-ball defense.
Alvarado had a fantastic 2.8/0.7 assist to turnover ratio and set the tone for the Pelicans’ bench with his energy and defense, so he is already defying expectations.
But he did shoot just 29.1 percent from 3-point range on two attempts per game. He is going to get those shots until he shows he can hit them, as defenders sag on him to try and prevent dribble penetration.
Jose is very good at getting into the paint to set up teammates or take those little floaters and runners, but if he could hit even league-average from 3-point range his offensive game could find another level.
The New Orleans Pelicans need 3-point shooting, as they were near the bottom of the league this season, so hopefully this is an area where Jose will make some improvement.
New Orleans Pelicans: What each rookie needs to improve
Herbert Jones: 3-point consistency
Herb Jones was another guy who exceeded all expectations and was arguably the best pick in the 2021 NBA Draft when you consider the impact he made and the fact that he was taken in the second round.
Herb proved to be more than just a one-dimensional defender, as he initiated the offense at times, showed himself to be a good play maker, rim runner and decent shooter from 3-point range.
There was a time when Jones was shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range after going on a tear in the early part of the year.
But he came back down to earth and finished the season 33 percent on 2.2 attempts per game, not terrible, but he did run hot and cold in different stretches of the season. If he could consistently hit 38 percent from 3-point range, it really changes the ceiling of what Herb can be, as he is already a very good cutter and finisher off the ball and had much better handles than advertised.
A consistent 3-point shot (on another attempt or two per game) would put Jones’ on another level as a prospect and raise his ceiling considerably.
The New Orleans Pelicans have to be ecstatic about what they got out of this draft class considering none of them were lottery picks, and the future is looking bright in New Orleans.