The New Orleans Pelicans suffered another disappointing early exit after being swept by Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs. They topped the Kings in the Play-In Tournament to advance as the eighth seed but were no match for the top-seeded Thunder. The Pels have made the playoffs just twice in the last six years and have made two first-round exits. New Orleans' roster is up against the luxury tax and cannot contend for a title, so changes must be made.
The Pelicans have talent. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are All-Stars. They have role players too, but the pieces just do not fit and there are always health issues. It is time to shake things up. The Pels may just change the supporting cast around Zion and BI, but do not rule out a blockbuster trade. New Orleans cannot just run it back and expect a different result.
Multiple players are headed towards free agency and others could be on the trade block. These Pelicans may be wearing a different uniform to start the 2024-25 season.
Won’t be back: Cody Zeller
New Orleans signed Zeller to a one-year veteran minimum contract last summer. They wanted a veteran backup big man behind Jonas Valanciunas and Zion Williamson. Zeller has struggled to stay healthy in the past and never found a role in New Orleans.
He averaged just 1.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 7.4 minutes per game over 43 contests. After Dec. 11, Zeller never played in more than five consecutive games. He was not part of Willie Green’s rotation for most of the season, and it is fair to wonder how much the 31-year-old has left in the tank.
Cody Zeller won’t be back with the New Orleans Pelicans next season. He is a free agent and will likely try to sign with a contender on a veteran minimum contract where he can play a more consistent role.
Won’t be back: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
JRE was a second-round draft pick in 2021 who spent two years with the Thunder. Oklahoma City’s mountain of draft capital turning into young talent created a roster squeeze and Robinson-Earl was the odd man out. He was traded to the Rockets before this season and quickly waived.
The 23-year-old big man landed a two-way contract with the Pelicans before being converted to a standard deal in March. New Orleans has a $2.1 million team option for next season, but do they bring Robinson-Earl back? The 6’9 big man is making virtually the minimum but must make an on-court impact if the Pels plan on contending.
He averaged just 2.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game over 39 contests. JRE played more than 20 minutes just seven times and nearly all of those were blowouts. He rarely saw action and is behind a plethora of talent on the Pelicans depth chart.
The 23-year-old has untapped potential, but will he reach his ceiling in New Orleans? He did not play in the G League this season and needs minutes to continue his growth. The best solution for both sides may be parting ways. The Pelicans can search for a big man capable of playing an impactful role, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl can find minutes elsewhere.
Won’t be back: Naji Marshall
Marshall becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Pelicans will have to pay more than the minimum to keep him in the Big Easy. The 26-year-old is just entering his prime and coming off a year where he averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 19.0 minutes per game over 66 contests. Marshall shot 46.3 percent from the field and 38.7 percent on his threes, which were both career-highs.
New Orleans has $152.3 million committed in salaries for next season. The luxury tax is projected to be $172 million. They have never paid the tax and dipped under this season at the trade deadline. Jonas Valanciunas is also a free agent. New Orleans needs a starting center and has less than $20 million to play with. If they want to stay in playoff contention, Marshall likely becomes a cap casualty.
What does New Orleans do behind Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram at the forward spots? Herb Jones and Larry Nance Jr. might play a bit more, but the Pelicans will need a reserve capable of averaging 20-ish minutes per game. That playing time will increase whenever one of their stars misses time.
The Pels would love to bring back Naji Marshall, but it likely comes at the expense of another player. They are just too close to the luxury tax and still need a starting-caliber big man.
Shouldn’t be back: C.J. McCollum
The Pelicans acquired McCollum at the 2022 trade deadline. They took a swing and hoped landing a proven scorer and playmaker would help Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram get to the next level. In two and a half years together, New Orleans has made two playoff appearance and has not won a postseason series. They cannot afford to be paying three players $30-plus million per year to end their season in the first round of the playoffs.
New Orleans is 93-74 when McCollum has played, which is a 55.6 percent winning percentage. The Warriors and Kings finished ninth and tenth in the Western Conference this season and each won 56.1 percent of their games.
McCollum has scored over 20 points for nine straight years, and the Pelicans desperately need his shooting and playmaking. He turns 33 years old before the start of the 2024-25 campaign, and the Pelicans must acquire an upgrade if they plan on contending.
C.J. McCollum becomes extension-eligible this summer and has two years and $64 million remaining on his contract. Can the Pelicans trade him for some pieces that get them closer to contending? Does David Griffin blow things up and reset in the Big Easy? New Orleans certainly needs a change if they want to become serious title contenders.
Won’t be back: Jonas Valanciunas
JV could be gone as enters unrestricted free agency. They could not work out an extension and did not trade him before the deadline, despite rumors dating back to the 2023 offseason. Is Valanciunas their center of the future or do they try to upgrade at the five this summer?
The 6’11 big man played in all 82 games this season but averaged his fewest minutes and rebounds per game since 2019. Head coach Willie Green was not shy about benching JV when the matchups dictated. He made just 30.8 percent of his 3-point attempts this season and has struggles protecting the rim. Valanciunas is an impactful player, but a tough fit next to Zion Williamson, who also lacks floor spacing and shot-blocking.
The Pelicans reportedly wanted to trade JV for a center upgrade. They plan on having someone playing the five next to Zion in the frontcourt. If they let Valanciunas walk, Larry Nance Jr. is the only big man under contract for next season. He has played over 27 minutes per game for a full season just once in his nine-year NBA career. The front office has work to do.
The New Orleans Pelicans must figure out the fit part of their roster. Are they building around Zion or Brandon Ingram or both? What pieces fit and where do they need to upgrade? Moving on from Jonas Valanciunas only makes sense if the Pels add a better-fitting center to their roster.
Won’t be back: Brandon Ingram
Ingram was extension eligible this season, but they held off talks to see how the year played out. He has one season left on his current contract. Ingram is likely searching for a max contract, but the Pelicans cannot afford to overpay him. If the two sides cannot work out an extension, it is time to move on.
New Orleans cannot let him hit free agency. They are not paying the luxury tax and have $84 million committed to Zion Williamson, C.J. McCollum, and Herb Jones in the 2025-26 season when Ingram’s new contract would kick in. A maximum contract would be $50-plus million per year and put New Orleans near the salary cap with just four players.
Ingram does not move the needle enough in the Big Easy. He hasn’t been an All-Star since 2020, averages fewer than 60 games per season for his career, and has defensive questions. The 26-year-old is just entering his prime, but the Pelicans are 144-143 in his 287 games played over the last five seasons. Teams barely over .500 do not make the playoffs, and their second-best players do not get max contracts.
The New Orleans Pelicans will likely move on from Brandon Ingram this summer, but they should think long and hard about their future with Zion too.
Shouldn’t be back: Zion Williamson
The two-time All-Star’s happiness in the Big Easy has been questioned. He just finished the first season of a five-year rookie max extension. It seems unlikely Zion would request a trade, but should New Orleans explore his market? The 23-year-old played his way into better shape this season and appeared in 70 games. Teams would certainly be interested, and this could be the Pelicans' moment to sell high, despite him missing their entire playoff series versus the Thunder.
In their biggest game of the season against the Lakers and the Play-In Tournament, Williamson looked like the best player on the floor. He was outplaying LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but Zion injured his hamstring in the final minutes. It helped LA secure the win, and the Pelicans star was quickly ruled out for multiple weeks. The injury ended his season.
Can New Orleans count on Zion in the biggest games? He has appeared in just 184 games in his first five seasons. Twice he has played 60-plus games, and three times the 6’6 big man appeared in fewer than 30. Nobody is built like Zion, and it may result in him struggling to stay healthy. The New Orleans Pelicans should trade the 23-year-old if they can get a superstar return of draft capital and young talent.
It is a crossroads offseason in the Big Easy. Do the Pels make a blockbuster trade or try to improve on the margins? It will be fascinating to watch, so please stay tuned.