Like the other 13 teams that didn't make the playoffs, the offseason has been well underway for the New Orleans Pelicans. They've wasted no time getting busy either. So far, they've already fired former Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin, replaced him with Detroit Pistons legend Joe Dumars, and hired a new number two for Dumars in Troy Weaver.
All of this front office movement came as a result of their awful showing in the 2024-25 NBA season that saw them go just 21-61 despite entering the year hoping to make a deep playoff run. Now, the Pelicans are at the dawn of perhaps the most crucial offseason in franchise history.
What they're able to do this summer could dictate how enjoyable New Orleans basketball will be for a decade-plus. It'll all start with what they plan to do with Zion Williamson. It's been rumored that Dumars was hired with a mandate from Pelicans ownership to trade Zion, however, it's also been said that Dumars has pushed back on that decision and has had productive talks with Williamson about his future. If the Pels do end up holding onto Zion, then they have their work cut out for them to build the ideal roster around him. This emerging free agent center is a great place to start.
The Pelicans could take advantage of the crumbling Milwaukee Bucks to poach their ideal starting center
This past season, we learned a few things. After trading for Kelly Olynyk, it became abundantly clear how effective Zion can be when surrounded by shooters, freed from the shackles of having to play alongside another plodding big man who could only play inside the paint. Of course, this has been mostly obvious for years, but those couple of months with Olynyk confirmed it.
We also learned, though, that the benefits of having a floor-spacing big on the court are completely negated if neither of the big men is a rim protector, like Zion and Kelly O. Because of that, New Orleans often bled more points than they poured in with Z and Kelly in the same lineup, or Head Coach Willie Green was forced to play both of them alongside another center like Yves Missi, which also made it kind of pointless.
That's why the Pelicans need to continue their search for a true stretch five, one that can aptly threaten opposing defenses from deep and protect New Orleans's paint at the same time. Thankfully, there's a perfect option hitting the open market this summer.
The Milwaukee Bucks are on the verge of a franchise teardown. With Damian Lillard tearing his Achilles this late in the year, he'll likely miss the entirety of next season, especially considering his advanced age for a small guard in the NBA. With virtually zero chance for them to contend for a title next year, there's almost no reason why the Bucks would re-sign Brook Lopez this summer, who's set to enter unrestricted free agency.
The Pelicans already have Yves Missi, a rookie center who just came off a freshman season. He might not be ready to anchor a playoff-caliber defense full-time, but he's certainly ready to handle heavy minutes. That makes Brook Lopez the perfect target for New Orleans. The former champion will turn 38 years old next April. He's still playing drop defense at an elite level while knocking down triples consistently, but he's only good for around 18-25 minutes a night now. He would be the perfect bridge to allow Missi to grow into his adult body while providing Zion Williamson with the stretch five he's always needed.