The New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2026 offseason with major question marks about who the team’s starting center will be on opening night of the 2026-27 season. On paper, this team's roster has a very strong infrastructure with Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones, but it lacks that presence in the middle. Many have suggested that Yves Missi can be that paint beast this team has lacked for several seasons now, and while I don't fully disagree, those types of conversations seem a bit premature.
Missi had an incredible rookie season with the Pelicans, earning all-rookie second-team honors, and while his counting stats took a step back in year two, his impact didn't. Missi finished the season second on the team in net rating among players who played 50 games or more, and any time he was on the court, the team's energy took a massive step up.
Missi has shown flashes of having the tools that New Orleans should be looking for from a starting five-man, but he is still so early in his development. He has great shot-blocking instincts and knows how to use his size defensively. At 6-foot-11, he has freakish athleticism and is continuing to improve his offensive awareness. But he still isn't strong enough as a screener, rim finisher, and passer to be a real legit force at the starting center spot.
Missi could be the answer...just not yet
If the Pelicans enter the 2026-27 season with Yves Missi at the top of their center rotation, that's not just a disservice to the fans and the rest of the roster but to him as well. Putting the pressure of being a starter on a team with real playoff aspirations on Missi's shoulders in his third NBA season is incredibly unfair and would likely stunt his development. Missi has been playing basketball for less than a decade and needs to be treated as such by the front office and whoever is hired as head coach.
The potential is very much there, and it wouldn't be shocking to see Missi develop into a high-quality starter with or without the Pelicans during his NBA journey. But at this exact moment in time, he is far too raw a talent to have that big of a role on this team.
If things were different and Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver committed to a rebuild or a tank next season, it would make all the sense in the world to let Missi start and develop in extended minutes. However, the front office has not indicated in any way that they plan to take next season off and prioritize youth and development over winning.
To reach the postseason next year, the Pelicans are going to need a polished, experienced starting center. Having Missi sit back and continue to grow and shine as a high-energy backup big that can come in and flip the script of a game should be the approach taken with him this summer.
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