Spring is an interesting time for basketball. On one hand, the Houston Cougars and Florida Gators just played the most important game of their young lives. On the other hand, a good chunk of NBA teams and players have already checked out for the season, both literally and figuratively. The New Orleans Pelicans are a great example of this.
Their injured reserve has become chock-full of talent after maintaining a pretty robust roster throughout the year. Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, and CJ McCollum have all been ruled out for the remainder of the season. They're all simply counting down the days until they can officially go on vacation.
The franchise as a whole has been checked out since early December, when it became clear that New Orleans wouldn't be competing for a playoff spot this year and would be better served chasing losses to boost their lottery odds for the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft instead. In these last couple of weeks of the campaign, these bottom-feeder teams have been fielding some truly egregious lineups in the name of tanking. That said, even though many of these spring games feature two squads actively trying to lose, we can still uncover valuable takeaways from these last days of the 2024-25 Pelicans.
2 Different Pelicans have shown recently that they're not yet ready for larger roles
1. Jordan Hawkins
This was supposed to be Jordan Hawkins's breakout year. He had a mercurial rookie season. We saw him struggle immensely with his efficiency, consistency, and proficiency in key areas such as defense and ball-handling. We also saw him put up some of the most incendiary scoring performances out of his entire class through some truly prodigious outside shooting.
At the beginning of this season, it looked like Hawkins had put it all together over the summer. His feathery outside touch and confident quick-draw remained, but he also showcased an expanded off-the-dribble game, looked passable on defense for spurts, and improved his overall efficiency. Then, he went down with a back injury.
While he was able to return after an interrupted month off, his shooting touch was clearly affected, and his splits never recovered. Some may have thought that he'd thrive in these last few weeks due to the increased usage and alleviated pressure, but the results haven't been encouraging. Zion Williamson played his last game for the Pelicans on March 19. In four games since then, Hawkins has averaged just 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 turnovers while shooting 39 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc.
His continued struggles could simply be a sign that his back is still bothering him. Regardless, it's clear that Hawkins still isn't ready to be a meaningful contributor for a Pelicans team looking to make real noise next year.
2. Jose Alvarado
New Orleans was filled with hope last summer when they traded for Dejounte Murray, finally filling their need for a true point guard. One of the primary reasons that position was such a huge void for the Pelicans is because of Jose Alvarado's shortcomings as a floor general.
It was widely celebrated by the Pelicans faithful when Alvarado inked his two-year, $9 million extension, and rightfully so. He's one fo the few actual perimeter defensive playmakers in this league — someone who can significantly swing a game for a team through their efforts on the less glamorous end of the court. New Orleans could always use Alvarado's grit, energy, and impact off the bench. However, he's shown this season that he can't be counted on for anything more than solid play as a reserve.
Since Zion went out, he's averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 3.1 turnovers on just 37 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent from deep. Alvarado is sure to have some more iconic moments as a Pelican, but there's a reason he was never a serious candidate to become the starting point guard for them. His presence probably won't stop them from grabbing a backup they like either.