The most cursed franchise in the last twenty years, the New Orleans Pelicans, always seems to be right around the corner to be a serious playoff contender, but a voodoo spell seems to permanently derail any hopes. Since the team was called the Hornets and the first absolute superstar, Chris Paul, has struggled to stay healthy and keep their talent in the “big easy.”
What could have been?
The midseason trade for Demarcus Cousins from Sacramento made a 1-2 tandem with Anthony Davis, which was not seen since the Spurs had David Robinson and a young Tim Duncan. But a torn Achilles tendon derailed what could have been a championship team. After this team, the Pelicans could not add a supporting cast for AD, and his stint in NOLA was canceled after he requested a trade from the team halfway in. The team blew up the roster, trading their little assets for a brighter future. It is essential to point out that both Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles Lakers and Jrue Holiday with the Milwaukee Bucks won a chip after leaving NOLA being a key part of those championship teams.
The new savior of the team?
With a small bounty of draft picks coming from the Lakers and the Bucks, plus the number one pick of the draft, Zion Williamson, the future looked brighter than ever for the Saints’ little brother in New Orleans. This was just what the city needed after legendary quarterback Drew Brees announced his retirement.
The team’s health has always been questioned, especially with a player with Zion Williamson’s physics. Media compared his build with Charles Barkley’s with the difference that Williamson is more explosive on the first step and has an extremely high vert, which puts extreme loads on his body. Without the correct training, his injury history has been extensive, including surgery to fix a torn meniscus and various torn hamstrings. This, added to the fact that the Duke’s alums have struggled to keep their weight down and have been punished by the team after various tardiness from practices, is concerning, especially for the player who has been called the face of the franchise ever since he was originally drafted to the league.
Finishing on a high, started with a new low.
This season is no exception, finishing from a high from last season, where the team made the playoffs after dominating the “play in” tournament; adding a true point guard in Dejounte Murray from the Hawks really gave the “panels” a three-headed monster with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. But just like my motivation to go to work on a Monday after a holiday. Incredibly enough, the team never had all three stars playing together.
Unfruitful negotiations with Ingram
After the broken-down negotiations with the superstar wing Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans were left between a rock and a hard place. With only 1 year left in his contract, Ingram was looking for supermax money, but the market was not there, especially for a player in that particular position. The Pelicans had to run to look for a suitor to get some value out of the lanky wing, risking losing him without gaining anything in return. The chosen team at the end was the Toronto Raptors, which has been in an eternal construction mode since winning that championship with Leonard. Ingram left a lasting impression on the team, being that go-to player with a build similar to Kevin Durant’s. Still, hindsight is 20/20, and everyone in that building knew that having both Ingram and Zion did not make sense in theory. Ingram has an unguardable midrange jumper because of his length, and Zion’s quick first step and athleticism did not work because of the spacing. Even though Ingram’s shooting did improve, paying a player max contract money in a small market team just made no sense.
The #notonherb hashtag was created after Herb Jones positioned himself as one of the elite wing defenders in the league. But this season has been lackluster, to say the least. His shooting has never been his strong suit, but playing with Zion helped create space, getting him wide-open looks, which he has not hit consistently this season. He finished off with a torn labrum injury in his left shoulder.
The Pelicans team throughout time is always seen as an underdog, often overlooked in championship conversations despite their talent and potential. However, this perception has made them a fascinating choice for betting picks, especially when analyzing matchups where they are underestimated by the odds. With rising stars and a growing core of resilient players, the Pelicans have repeatedly shown they can upset stronger opponents, making them a smart betting pick for savvy bettors looking for value in the underdog role.
Is tanking the solution?
It is embarrassing that a team with the talent the Pelicans have had over the years has to cross their fingers year in and year out for a high pick in the draft lottery. With an owner unwilling to pay the luxury tax constantly and not an attractive free agent market, the New Orleans Pelicans are in a never-ending play in team purgatory. Currently, the team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with a mediocre 20 wins, which puts them with the 4th best odds for the lottery at 12.5%, and with a draft class being one of the deepest in the past years, the team’s future is held in a ping pong ball. Cooper Flagg, Zion Williamson, and the cast of players is, without a doubt, a deep playoff team. Hopefully, Marie Laveau, the queen of Voodoo, can take off the curse of this team and help them stay healthy throughout the entire season.
