One thing has been made clear by Joe Dumars since he arrived in New Orleans: he wants to bring winning basketball to the city and its fans. So far, he has done a solid job at that by acquiring two players who won an NBA championship with Golden State: Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney. Poole, of course, was traded before the NBA draft in a swap centered around CJ McCollum, and Looney was signed to a two-year deal on the first day of free agency.
At this point, it seems there's no debate that Jordan Poole will be a starter on opening night of the 2025-26 season. Poole brings an incredible three-point shooting ability and will inject the Pelicans' first five with energy. However, the same can't be said for Looney, who many believe should be coming off the bench in favor of sophomore big Yves Missi.
Missi has a strong argument to be a starter, he was named to the All-Rookie second team last season and led the team in games played. In his 73 games played, he averaged 9.1 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 26.8 minutes of action. He also led rookies in defensive field goal percentage last season.
However, from my perspective, Looney could take this team to a whole new level as a starter. As a 10-year pro and 3-time champion, he is more polished and has way more experience than Missi. On the defensive end, Looney is much more disciplined than Missi, largely due to the difference in their experience levels.
Looney starting would help this group level up
It's not that the Pelicans would be a bad team if they started Missi, it's more that starting Looney could give them a defensive backbone. Looney’s defensive IQ, positioning, and ability to anchor a defense have already been battle-tested. His type of presence doesn't always show up on a stat sheet, but it makes a massive impact in winning situations, which was shown during his time with the Warriors.
Outside of his defensive presence, Looney is also one of the league's best screen-setters and offensive rebounders. These skills will only open the Pelicans' offense more than it already is. Looney's connection with Poole goes back to their time with the Warriors, and having that in the Pelicans' starting five would make their offense even more potent.
Missi is undoubtedly part of the Pelicans’ long-term future and will have an essential role with the Pelicans for years to come. But winning basketball starts with experience, and the Pelicans now have that option. Moving Looney to the starting five is not flashy or likely to spark a social media frenzy, but more importantly, it'll produce wins.