Skip to main content
Pelicans Powered by Rookies

Pelicans: 12 Takeaways From Exit Interviews

The Pelicans had 12 main takeaways during last week's season-ending exit interviews.

In this story:

New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans had 12 main takeaways during last week's season-ending exit interviews.

The New Orleans Pelicans made a surprise run to win the last spot in the NBA Playoffs after starting the season 1-12. Willie Green's squad served notice to the NBA that they're a team to reckon with for years to come by pushing the Phoenix Suns to six games. The Pelicans took the loss tough but did not hang their heads when they came to work the next day.

Throughout the year, there were many encouraging developments, but the front office is now looking only toward the future. They must continue building on the progress to contend for a top seed next year. The Pelicans had a lot to say during their season-ending exit interviews. Focusing on 12 comments gives a roadmap to the team's offseason.

12: “All 12 of u” – JJ Redick

USATSI_18159845

Okay. It's not an exit interview quote, but it was Redick's most inspirational line since retiring. New Orleans is definitely a basketball city. The front office has created a culture with total buy-in from everyone in the building, including the paying customers. The Pels12 movement has gained national recognition in the media and opposing locker rooms.

In the team's fan appreciation video, Ingram says, "I feel the support. It's definitely helping us on the court." Trey Murphy III added, "When you have a city that is behind you like that, it is really special. It makes you want to be here."

Griffin explained it's a "fickle business," but the "symbiotic relationship this team and our fans had was unique… I've won a championship. No crowd has done what that crowd did last night for that team. The sheer hope and joy that exist between our players and this fanbase is phenomenal…"

This momentum cannot go to waste. The social media teams and organic fan groups have been coordinating for months. Look for those collaborations to continue through the NBA Draft and Summer League making Opening Night 2023.

11: Keep Front Office Family Together

Swin Cash, David Griffin

David Griffin mentioned "family" and "getting to love" with no restraints or controls. The foursome of Griffin, Swin Cash, Trajan Langdon, and Aaron Nelson rode into town to start a new era of New Orleans basketball. They have established a refreshing, sustainable, and lasting culture in three very unusual seasons. 

The plans for this team look at least five years ahead. Look at the draft pick war chest, Ingram's contract, Zion's looming extension, and this year's rookie class. This front office is under contract for only a few more years. Cleveland let Griffin's contract expire, but that's not the culture in the Crescent City. Expect to see Governor Gayle Benson do her best to keep this front office family together.

10: Lakers NBA Draft Lottery Pick Luck

CJ McCollum

Griffin said the 2022 draft pick falling into the lottery was "unexpected." The Pelicans "got lucky in that regard. Sometimes in this league, it's better to be lucky than good... It's unusual for playoff teams to have a lottery pick."

He played his cards close when asked about the pick and any roster moves to be made this offseason. It is the only move to make right now. The Pelicans could add one of Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, or Jaden Ivy with a little more luck. As long as the Pelicans keep the top-10 pick, there will be multiple offers to consider.

It sounds like New Orleans is leaning towards keeping the pick. Griffin said, "it's exciting thinking about adding a talent like that to a group like this. The thing we have proven we have a really good ability to do is identify character. I think we have found guys that fit our group well. To think we could potentially add the right piece is exciting."

9: Find Playoffs Contributor, Keep Team Chemistry

Chris Paul

This team is beloved in the city. Jose Alvarado came from the end of the bench. But small moves are always made, and playoff rotations only run nine deep on average. 

Garrett Temple ($5.5m), Devonte' Graham ($11.5), and Larry Nance Jr. ($9.7m) could all be moved to free up cap space. Naji Marshall ($1.8) and Kira Lewis Jr. ($4.1m) might have to be included to balance a deal. Only Nance Jr. could be considered a key playoff contributor going forward, but Griffin did say Willy Hernangomez ($2.5m) was "untouchable" at the trade deadline.

New Orleans needs one more playoff-caliber player to provide Green some additional flexibility with his rotations. The Pelicans have the space to add a solid veteran using end-of-the-bench contracts. It might mean losing a future draft pick and Jaxson Hayes ($6.7), but the front office should be able to add a significant talent without disrupting the team's core chemistry. 

8: Jumping To Conclusions On Jaxson Hayes

Jaxon Hayes

Jaxson Hayes s a walking highlight who can jump out of the gym. His inclusion in the starting lineup helped the Pelicans put together a stretch of winning basketball. However, he was playing for the Birmingham Squadron in December. Not many third-year pros with a future starting playoff games need time in the G-League. Most players are thinking about earning contract extensions.

Hayes might be stuck in a middle ground. Too expensive yet too raw for the Pelicans. Thankfully the team gets Hayes for one more year at just over $6 million before becoming a restricted free agent. 

He knows what he needs to work on and his expected role going forward after a "talk with Coach Green. He was like, I want you to be that guy for us. I need you to be that X-factor. Coming back from the G-League (Green) showed me a bunch of film and help me out a lot more. Specifically knowing my role and being able to learn and grow from there.”

Hayes is still facing a civil case stemming from a domestic violence incident to which he pleaded no contest. His plea deal includes three years of probation, 450 hours of community service and 52 domestic-violence counseling sessions. The team takes domestic violence issues very seriously and "will work in conjunction with the NBA" beyond the June sentencing date.

His minutes decreased each game during the playoffs, including a Game-3 ejection. Hayes has a lot to work on this offseason. Staying in the gym is a great way to avoid any extra negative publicity coming from a strong last half of the year. It's a make-or-break season for Hayes, who will most likely start the year on the team but will be included in some trade negotiations. 

7: More Shooting, More Trey Murphy III Minutes

Trey Murphy III

New Orleans was near the bottom in almost every three-point shooting category. Trey Murphy III was one of the best long-range rookies. It just took him a few months to get substantial minutes. A few trips to Birmingham got his confidence levels back up and he ended the year closing out playoff games.

Murphy III made 43.8% of his 3s on 4.3 attempts per game once he cracked the rotation on March 7. In the Play-In Tournament, he played every minute in the fourth-quarter comeback over the L.A. Clippers. Without his four late three-pointers, the Pelicans would have been on vacation weeks ago.

Murphy III helps make an NBA offense move. He can cut, dunk, screen, rebound, and push in transition with the extra space. He can make an open shot and did not create a shot for himself or a teammate. His ball-handling, vision, passing, and defensive technique work this summer will be what keeps him on the court next season. 

Willie Green will be watching in training camp in hopes of seeing major progress. If not, he is still a streaky prospect deserving of developmental minutes.

6: Jostling With Jonas Valanciunas

Jonas Valanciunas

Jonas Valanciunas did the best he could against the Phoenix Suns. He had the first 12/12 rebounding game since 1975 and had 54 double-doubles this season.

He could not slow down Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, and Javale McGee by himself. It did not help that Chris Paul kept getting into the paint and hitting every shot in a historic Game 6. Valanciunas needed help. Jaxson Hayes and Larry Nance Jr. could not consistently provide the Pelicans with the scoring and defensive presence of Valanciunas.

Getting Valanciunas some help could be as simple as waiting on Zion Williamson. Jaxson Hayes, Larry Nance Jr., and Willy Hernangomez can man the reserve minutes through the regular season. 

That gives the team time to watch how the trade market shakes out. The front office may want to rent instead of buying some paint protection insurance until they see how the rotations function around Williamson.

5: Not On Herb: The Hero New Orleans Needed

Herb Jones

Herb Jones was a second-round pick just trying to make a roster when he showed up for Summer League duty. Now Jones is a good bet to make the NBA All-Rookie team and could add NBA All-Defense to his resume for the next decade. The Pelicans will have one of the premier defensive stoppers in the world. They will pay him less than $4 million over the next two seasons.

Planning for poison pill contract offers in restricted free agency begins now. Not On Herb video board montages match the chants after a big defensive play. Herb Jones is the hero New Orleans needed. Quite simply, the Pelicans could have the next Kawhi Leonard on the roster.

Jones took the toughest defensive assignments every night and still had time to show a growing offensive game. Jones is just below average in overall efficiency. A few more sessions with Fred Vinson and Jones could be a plus on both ends of the court.

That's a recipe for becoming just the playoff hero New Orleans needs. Start budgeting accordingly because at least one team will offer Jones an expanded offensive role not available to him on the Pelicans.

4: Last Year’s Rookies Now Proven Playoff Vets

Herb Jones

Willie Green and the rest of the rookie cast go into year two with 'proven playoff veteran' on their resumes. Green's adjustments were crucial to the season. He showed faith in Jaxson Hayes to spur a late-season run to the playoffs. He tinkered with his rotations and earned two playoff victories, with three rookies closing out fourth quarters.

Jose Alvarado ($1.8m), Herb Jones ($1.8m), and Trey Murphy III ($3.3m) exceeded expectations on the biggest stage just months after suiting up in Birmingham. If they continue to develop at the current rate, New Orleans will be spending just $12 million on three playoff vets over the next two seasons.

That is great business going into contract extensions for Williamson and McCollum. It is also the best bang for the buck foundation of any contender. The Pelicans should be able to lure at least one more playoff-caliber player to the city if they are willing to pay a more expensive luxury tax bill.

3: Civil Contract Conversations With CJ McCollum

CJ McCollum

Trading for CJ McCollum was a win-now move that paid off with a playoff appearance. Now McCollum is in line to get paid, keeping him in New Orleans to lead postseason runs for years to come.

Even though he fell flat in the Game 6 elimination McCollum showed his leadership and fit with Ingram is worth the long-term investment. He has one year left on his current deal and could be locked up until 2026 for about $120 million.

Whatever the number, the negotiations will be civil, and a middle ground number should be agreed on sooner rather than later. "I'm not going nowhere. I'm here," McCollum told Andscape. "I want to retire here...When you have something good, you hold on to it. This is something fun for both sides. We're going to grow. I'm still learning about the city. I'm going to find a house."

McCollum has yet to talk to upper management. He did tell his wife "Wherever I go, I want to finish my career...When I'm committed to something, I'm committed to it. New Orleans, in my mind, I'm finishing my career here. That is how I devote myself to a city, things, and people."

2: Brandon Ingram’s Season-Long Big Moment

Brandon Ingram drives on Westbrook

Brandon Ingram has been an under-the-radar All-Star for years. Those days are over. Ingram did things in the NBA Playoffs that some cannot even attempt in the NBA All-Star game. He averaged 27 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the first round against the Phoenix Suns.  

Ingram shot 47% from the field, 41% from three-point range, and 83% from the free-throw line. He will get votes on the next All-NBA ballot.

He will also go into next season with the national media expectations on a nightly basis. After seeing his playoff performance, it's a deserved burden. Ingram's work this offseason could be the final piece of becoming the best player on the court almost every night. It's what the Pelicans expect after giving him a five-year, $158 million extension. The only offseason question around Ingram is his proper usage rate next year.

1: Zion’s Extension Silences Negative Narratives

Zion Williamson

He wears No. 1, and he is the team's top priority this offseason. Getting Williamson healthy and committed to the future is paramount to moving forward successfully. When asked, he said if the team offered a five-year, $181 million max rookie contract extension this summer, he "couldn't sign it fast enough."

Even though it was a "rough year," getting back to the team after the All-Star break put him in a "great space…Being around the guys, being in Smoothie King [Center], seeing that playoff environment. And the locker room. We have a special locker room. In my first two years, it was a good locker room. But this year. I guess maybe it was the playoffs, but it was more together."

He added, "Being real, it sucks watching from the sideline. I just want to be out there. Just seeing the potential. We have a lot of great pieces. I'm excited to get out on the court with those guys."

Add a healthy Zion and a top 10 first-round pick and the New Orleans Pelicans will be hosting play-in teams instead of battling through that lottery team tournament. Griffin played his cards close when asked about the draft. There is no denying that, barring a surprise when new images are taken next week. Everyone expects Williamson to walk onto the court with his teammates on Day 1 next season.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1)

Williamson is even organizing some summer runs that will start in just a few weeks. Going by Ingram’s appearance last July, it would not be surprising to see Zion and a few other Pelicans show up to watch the team in Vegas. Every athlete claims to be in the best shape ever but popping in to watch the rookies gave fans the first glimpse at Ingram’s extra 20 pounds of playoff muscle.

Zion has been releasing highlight videos, giving another glimpse into the generational talents waiting to be unleashed with a stacked Pelicans roster. He is hoping to show the hype, and the patient waiting, was worth it next season. The Pelicans are hoping he does so having committed to the team long-term, squashing any negative rumors before they start. This franchise has too much positive momentum going to get bogged down in those kinds of distractions.

Read New Orleans Pelicans News

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.