There have been very few positive takeaways from the New Orleans Pelicans this season. After Sunday’s loss to Houston, the team sits dead last in the NBA with a 10–35 record. That being said, the incredible play that the Pelicans have been getting from their second unit this season is starting to look like a positive sign for the future.
Several players have stepped up off the bench throughout the season, including Saddiq Bey, Jordan Poole, and even Zion Williamson, who spent time as the team’s sixth man. Still, the three players who have consistently come off the bench and been legit contributors in those minutes are Micah Peavy, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matković.
With Missi and Matković being in their second seasons and Peavy being a rookie, it appears that the Pelicans have found three young staples within their bench rotation.
A rare bright spot for New Orleans
This season, the Pelicans rank 12th in the NBA in bench scoring, with their second unit averaging 38.3 points per game. For a team that ranks just 21st in overall points per game, that production is particularly notable. The bench is responsible for roughly 33 percent of New Orleans’ total scoring output.
Beyond the numbers, no trio on the roster consistently plays with more hustle and energy than Peavy, Missi, and Matković. As someone who spent much of his playing career as a seventh-, eighth-, or ninth-man type, the most valuable contribution in that role often isn’t scoring—it’s effort. Hustling, scraping, and doing the dirty work are exactly what these three bring whenever they step on the floor.
Some players can change a game by catching fire offensively, as Jordan Poole often does—others come into a game and flip it on its head just by playing hard. Diving for loose balls, making second efforts defensively, battling on the glass, running the floor, or delivering a timely block can all shift the energy of a game. Those are the areas where the Pelicans’ bench trio consistently makes its impact felt.
The impact is also reflected through the Pelicans' advanced stats. Missi is leading the team in overall net rating, Peavy ranks fourth, and Matković sits 11th. On top of that, these three are also all in the top four on the team in defensive rating, with Matković being the team leader.
I understand advanced stats can often be inflated for bench players, but it's also worth noting that a bad game will impact a reserve player's numbers more than a starter's. Over a long NBA season, consistency in advanced metrics matters, and this trio has provided that.
One of the biggest keys in building a championship team is having depth and depth you can trust. And while the Pelicans are still a ways away from being even close to being called a championship caliber team, they are taking a step in the right direction with their young second unit.