The New Orleans Pelicans are going to be a difficult team to predict. Their roster situation is a unique one. They're absolutely loaded with top-end talent. Between Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans have a core four that might just be the greatest quartet in the entire league.
They also have some highly coveted supplementary pieces in defensive stalwart Herb Jones, recently extended sharpshooter Trey Murphy III, and backcourt pest Jose Alvarado. They have seven players who, at worst, would be rotation guys on most playoff times and, at best, would be leading the charge.
Yet, the Pelicans aren't counted among the top contenders in the league. That's due to a few different reasons, chief among them being: health concerns, lack of depth, and a complete void of dependable center play. Vegas set their projected regular season win total at 45.5 games, and it's easy to see New Orleans falling on either side of that line. The oddsmakers usually aren't too far off, so the Pels will likely fall somewhere around 45-46 wins, but there are scenarios in which they could do a lot better than that — and a lot worse.
The Pelicans are a mercurial team with endless possibilities ahead of them
Best case scenario: 2024-25 NBA champions
Yes, there's a world in which the New Orleans Pelicans are hoisting the Larry O'Brien at the end of the league year. They have more than enough talent to do it. Zion is undoubtedly one of the best 20 players in the league when he's available and could easily assert himself as top 10 with another healthy season of continued development.
Dejounte Murray is a legitimate two-way star when he's at his best and locked in. If he can return to his San Antonio form as both a floor general and a point-of-attack stopper, he'll significantly elevate the Pelicans' ceiling on both ends of the court.
CJ McCollum is a pro's pro, the perfect veteran for this team, and a bona fide bucket-getter when the going gets tough. Herb Jones is already one of the best defenders in the entire league and has a budding offensive game that gives him credible star potential. Trey Murphy III is one of the best snipers in the entire league and is growing his off-the-bounce game which should be a scary sight for the rest of the NBA.
Unfortunately, Brandon Ingram can't be a part of this picture unless Vice President David Griffin can somehow obtain a starting-level center without trading Ingram. New Orleans is armed with a valuable trade chip and has a stockpile of draft assets still to go grab the missing piece to their puzzle. It just comes down to whether they're willing to pull the trigger and how well they can execute a deal if they do.
Worst case scenario: Injury-riddled lottery team
As has been stated endlessly, the Pelicans are a team with injury concerns. Zion Williamson has been one of the least available players in the league since his arrival from Duke. Brandon Ingram has been good for 20-40 games missed per season religiously. Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado have dealt with their fair share of ailments.
With this team's roster, and, more specifically, lack of depth, New Orleans is only one season-ending injury away from disaster. The Western Conference is ridiculously stacked this season. There are at least 12 teams vying for the playoffs and each of them has a legitimate case for a postseason appearance. That's not even counting the San Antonio Spurs or Utah Jazz, either of which could suddenly decide to become playoff teams with a few lucky breaks and midseason trades.
Even if Zion can string together another healthy season, the Pelicans could wind up at the bottom of the conference if their other players wind up on the injury report too many times.