One of the biggest talking points surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans is how the front office can address their need for a starting-caliber center this offseason. It’s easy to get distracted and think of players that Joe Dumars and the front office could trade for, draft, or sign, but what if the perfect big man for this team is already on the roster in Karlo Matkovic?Â
When you think about the ideal player to pair with Zion Williamson in the Pelicans frontcourt, a few skills come to mind. Tall, strong, athletic, efficient, can space the floor, and sets good screens. Now, when you describe Karlo Matkovic’s best skills, they match up rather perfectly.
In his two years in the NBA, Matkovic has developed from a raw toolsy big man to a well-rounded weapon on both ends of the floor for New Orleans. This past season, he logged 62 games and averaged 5.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 stocks (steals + blocks) in just 14.7 minutes per game. Those stats don’t scream starter numbers when you pair them with his incredibly efficient shot diet, which saw him shoot 60.4 percent from the floor and 42.2 percent from three, you can start to see the vision.
With the Pelicans trying to compete for a postseason berth in 2026-27, spending assets and money to address needs other than center would be huge. Given how quickly Matkovic has progressed, splitting center reps with someone like Yves Missi could be a real option.
Karlo Matkovic may already be the Pelicans’ answer at center
I already touched on his efficiency, but to go one step further, there are too many incredibly encouraging signs that if scaled to a split-rep starting center role, Matkovic could thrive. This past season, he shot 84 percent at the rim, ranking him in the 99th percentile among big men according to Cleaning the Glass. His soft touch and general calm presence around the basket are two traits not often seen in young big men.Â
At 6-foot-10, his jump-out-of-the-gym bounce already led to plenty of highlight plays in transition during the 2025-26 season. Now imagine that in a larger sample size—watching Matkovic, Williamson, and Trey Murphy III run the break with Dejounte Murray just spoon-feeding them lobs. Sounds like a non-stop highlight reel to me.Â
But his athleticism doesn’t just benefit him on the offensive end, as it makes Matkovic a very strong rim protector. While someone like Yves Missi may be a more skilled shot-blocker, Matkovic’s maturity and defensive awareness, paired with his athletic ability, make him more well-rounded defensively.
In terms of floor spacing, he may actually be a top two or three-point shooter on the team, and the numbers back that statement. For anyone who watched a lot of the Pelicans last season, this shouldn’t shock you, but he ranked 94th percentile among bigs in corner three-point percentage according to Cleaning the Glass. For a big man to be hitting corner threes at a 49 percent clip is unbelievable and could be a major tool for Jamahl Mosley’s offense next season.
Karlo Matkovic has all the tools to be a starting quality center, and the only way he’ll ever reach that ceiling is with more reps. While it may be a risk to roll out a former second-round pick with less than 150 NBA games under his belt, it may be crazy enough to work. If Joe Dumars is serious about building a playoff team, picking up Matkovic’s team option and using the team's assets to address needs other than center may be his best path forward.
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