3 Reasons the Pelicans improved and can compete in 2023-24
By Mat Issa
We’ve exhausted countless words on this website discussing just how good the New Orleans Pelicans were when they were healthy last season. But given the immensely competitive nature of the NBA, being good in one season doesn’t guarantee success in the next.
Every offseason, every team with the aspirations to contend takes steps to improve. So, you can’t just field the same roster you leaned on last season and hope for the same result. If that were the case, the sport would be way too predictable and no fun to watch/talk about.
But fortunately for us, the Pelicans didn’t merely hang their hat on their past success. They are primed to be a better team in 2023-24, and here are three reasons why.
3. Less injuries (we hope)
We haven’t gotten off to the best start in this category, but this year has to be better than the poor injury luck we had to deal with. Or, at least, I pray to God that it will be.
In all seriousness though, the Pelicans were 23-14 before s*** hit the fan with Zion Williamson’s health. He missed the final 45 games of the season after that (and 53 games overall). And even before that, Brandon Ingram was out with a toe injury. In total, the two combined to play just 74 of 164 possible games (45%).
If nothing else changes and the Pelicans just get a combined 110 games from Ingram and Williamson, then you can count on them being a better team than they were in 2022-23.