Many Pelicans fans have spent this year's edition of the NBA playoffs talking about how this past season was a disaster and are unclear about what the following season could look like. But if this NBA postseason has shown anything, it's that the Pelicans, if at full health, they are not close to making it out of the West, as the OKC Thunder are just a different beast.
Instead of being a team that was a first or second-round exit, the Pelicans were able to take a step back and see what young guys fit with the direction they wanted to go in. They now end up with a top-seven pick in this year's draft, and they are well-equipped to bring back the same core of players.
Setting up the Pelicans for contention
This season really allowed the Pelicans to be ready for the 2025-26 season, as they could find gems and diamonds in the rough. A guy like Brandon Boston Jr. is now a legit player as part of the Pelicans' core; he was brought in on a two-way deal, and because of the injuries they dealt with, he blossomed. The 23-year-old averaged a career-best 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
Boston Jr. showed his elite shot-making and scoring touch because of all the injuries this team dealt with. At 6'7", Boston's guard-like skills were on full display, and helped him earn a two-year contract from the Pelicans. This now adds to the depth this team can have next season.
Outside of Boston Jr., they could also see what their second-round pick, Antonio Reeves, was all about. If it wasn't for the amount of injuries they dealt with, I highly doubt a guy who was the 47th overall pick would have played in 44 games. But he did, and flourished. Reeves is an excellent fit with guys like Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson. He shot 39.5 % from 3 and is a solid on-ball defender, making him another weapon for this team in 2025-26 when they want to compete.
This season also gave the Pelicans a lottery pick. NOLA will be drafting 7th in this year's draft, which means they can add some fun young talent to this core. This year's draft has a ton of guys that the Pelicans could come in and help this team right away. But if drafting is something Joe Dumars isn't interested in, the 7th overall pick is a valuable trade piece if they want to try and add more win-now talent or guys already proven at the NBA level.
Obviously, having a season where injuries riddled your team isn't all positive, as Dejounte Murray will start next season watching from the sidelines. That being said, it gave the Pels the ability to take a step back, evaluate their roster, and get a lottery pick, which has helped make them a threat in the West next season.