The New Orleans Pelicans haven't started off the season the way they wanted to. They're currently in bed with the bottom-dwellers of the Western Conference at just 3-6 through their first nine games. They've dropped multiple games that they were favored in, taking on some embarrassing losses that have severely deflated the team, its fans, and the title hopes of this franchise.
In their defense, the Pelicans have had to navigate through some serious injuries, even more so than usual. While Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have remained relatively healthy, practically every other member of their roster's core has appeared on the injury report. Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones have all missed multiple games and will rack up more DNPs as they continue to rehabilitate their respective ailments.
New Orleans came into the season with a more shallow roster than most playoff hopefuls, so these absences have severely dragged the team down. There have been some positive things to come out of this early part of the season, however, including Brandon Ingram's transformation into a more analytically effective player, Zion Williamson's sustained fitness and steady adjustments to his new body, and Jordan Hawkins's emergence as a legitimate rotation piece. The Pelicans' dearth of available bodies has also forced the team into adding another option in Brandon Boston Jr., and he's impressed so far in his short tenure with the team.
Brandon Boston Jr. has instilled hope into the Pelicans in more ways than one
After their slew of injuries, the Pelicans claimed Brandon Boston Jr. off of the waiver wire and signed him to an Exhibit 10 deal. They wasted no time extending his stay, converting his contract, and giving him their last two-way contract spot.
He took full advantage of his new opportunity and gained Head Coach Willie Green's trust. He was named a starter in his last two games for New Orleans after just four games, two of which he barely played in while he was still getting his feet wet back in the NBA.
In his last four games, the ones in which he played real minutes, he's averaged 15.5 points and 3.8 assists while shooting 51 percent from the field, 39 percent from deep, and 90 percent from the stripe. He's proven to be more than just an available body, providing much-needed shot creation, floor spacing, and playmaking for a team that desperately needed it.
He's been a legitimate three-level scoring threat for the Pelicans, something that they've been lacking, even with everybody healthy and available. Due to his offensive talents and capable ball-handling at 6'6", he's been able to pull in defenses and open up opportunities for his teammates, hence why he's averaging nearly five assists per 36 minutes.
Even when the Pelicans are fully healthy again — or if — Boston Jr. has earned a spot in Green's rotation. His offensive skillset will be a boon for their bench unit, and his secondary playmaking should help diversify their attack and prevent scoring droughts.
He won't only give New Orleans more versatility on the court, but he'll also give Vice President David Griffin more opportunities to make roster moves as he sees fit. His presence will make it a lot easier for the Pelicans to trade players like CJ McCollum or Brandon Ingram. If he continues playing the way he has, he could become a valuable asset himself in any potential deals.
If it weren't for all of these injuries the team's suffered through, it's highly unlikely that they would have picked up Brandon Boston Jr. The way he's looked so far, he won't just be a valuable addition for them this season, but he could legitimately become a large part of their future moving forward.