Yves Missi's Pelicans future get's crystal clear update fans will love to hear

The New Orleans Pelicans' offseason has been a dud. There’s no sugarcoating it: Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver have done nothing more than hire a new head coach and sit on their hands. However, a report did come out today that should be viewed positively by Pelicans fans. According to NBA Insider Chris Haynes, New Orleans has turned down multiple Knicks pitches for center Yves Missi. 

To me, this is a bit of a shocker, as during last season's trade deadline, Missi was the one name that consistently appeared in reports as someone the Pelicans were looking to move. Which at the time, didn’t make sense and still wouldn’t make sense today, so it’s good to hear New Orleans is no longer entertaining that idea. Haynes also stated that the Pelicans view Missi as part of their core and that he isn’t available. At 22 years old, trading away Missi would make little to no sense for a team that is still teetering on the line of being in a rebuild.

While the Pelicans' offseason has been packed with a ton of missed opportunities and a lack of any activity, it is good to see they’ve come to their senses regarding Missi’s future.

Yves Missi is here to stay!

Missi had a very strong rookie campaign in 2024-25, earning All-Rookie Second Team honors and leading the Pelicans in games played that season. On paper, his stats took a hit from his first to his second year, with him averaging 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game, but his impact only grew greater. In fact, he was second on the team in overall net rating last season among players who appeared in 20+ games. Missi grew as a basketball player in every way possible, but where the most growth showed was in his awareness and understanding of the game. 

By the end of year two, Missi was seeing the game differently on both ends, particularly defensively as a rebounder and shot-blocker. 

His timing as a shot-blocker improved immensely, leading to a ton of memorable big-time defensive plays. He really grabbed hold of that backup high-energy big role, and depending on how New Orleans' roster shapes up, I expect him to remain in that role.

Offensively, he’s still an unfinished product, but his athleticism, paired with his size, is always going to leave so much potential on the table. Missi is already a strong lob threat and play finisher. The next step is adding a little more of a post-game, learning how to set a really impactful screen, and maybe even one day becoming a high-level connective passer.

Having a 6-foot-11, 22-year-old big man who is willing to put in the work and is getting better with every rep is a luxury many teams around the NBA would love to have. So it’s great to see the Pelicans finally realizing he is an important piece for the future and committing to him, but none of that will matter if Joe Dumars and company don’t pick a clear direction forward.

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