3 Questions the Pelicans need to answer at 2024 NBA media day

The New Orleans Pelicans 2024 media day will take place at 9 AM Central Time on Monday, September 30. This event gives reporters an opportunity to speak with the team, its coaches, and members of the front office ahead of training camp and tip-off of the upcoming NBA season.

There are certain things that we've come to expect out of media day: retread cliches about the mounting excitement surrounding the new additions to the roster, veteran athletes stating that they're now in the best shape of their life, and how everyone expects the upcoming campaign to be a monumentous one. But, sifting through the tired PR-trained word salads can reveal some valuable insight into an organization and how it'll approach the new season.

This Pelicans team is one with title aspirations built around Zion Williamson who's just beginning to enter his prime, but the roster isn't without its holes, and there are plenty of question marks surrounding New Orleans heading into the season. There are three questions in particular that the team and its brass need to answer during media day.

This New Orleans Pelicans team has a lot of question marks surrounding it

1. What will the starting lineup be?

Between Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans have six players who would essentially be guaranteed starters on any other team. Unfortunately, there are only five starting spots in basketball. What isn't included in that group of players is a center.

Will Head Coach Willie Green and the Pelicans forego a starting center altogether? Or, will they begin games with one of Daniel Theis, Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic, or Jeremiah Robinson-Earl? If so, which one? And which of the six players mentioned earlier will be coming off of the bench?

It's pretty rare to see a team with legitimate title hopes not have a solidified starting five this late into the offseason, especially in today's era where every player's salary, prospects, and pedigree is common public knowledge. The Pelicans, however, have numerous different lineups that would make sense as the starters. We'll see if Coach Green is ready and/or willing to answer that question at media day.

2. When will the Pelicans give Trey Murphy III his rookie-scale extension?

On Saturday, September 28, New Orleans signed backup guard Jose Alvarado to a two-year extension worth $9 million including a player option for the 2026-27 season. Locking up one of their most important reserves on such a team-friendly deal was a prudent move by Vice President David Griffin and the Pelicans brass. Now, they have to find a way to secure Trey Murphy III's future in the Big Easy.

If he isn't extended, TMIII will hit restricted free agency after this season, and there's a strong chance that another team could price the Pelicans out of re-signing their young 3-and-D wing with star potential. New Orleans has up until October 21 to come to an agreement with Murphy III before the season begins. The sooner they're able to find an amicable deal, the sooner Pelicans fans can rest easy.

3. What is Brandon Ingram's future with the Pelicans?

Trey Murphy III isn't the only player who might hit free agency next summer. As it stands, Brandon Ingram will become an unrestricted free agent after the season if he doesn't sign an extension with the Pelicans — or a different team. Brian Windhorst has reported that Ingram's camp is seeking a $200 million, four-year contract to stay with New Orleans.

He also stated that the team is unwilling to give him that deal, which is why his name has been run through the trade machine so often this offseason. Unlike with TMIII, the Pelicans have until June 30, 2025 to extend Ingram, so there's no rush. But, that's not the only deadline they're up against.

If New Orleans doesn't plan on keeping Ingram, then it'd be best to trade him so that they don't risk losing him for nothing in free agency, and they can address their most glaring roster needs in the deal. They'll need to have his future figured out by the 2025 trade deadline in February, but, the sooner they know what they plan on doing, the more time they'll have to either negotiate an extension or find a trade package they like.