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New Orleans Pelicans Mid-Season Review

As the Pelicans reach the midway point of the 2022-23 regular season, the staff at Pelicans Scoop gives its evaluation of the team's progress and potential.

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New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans

When he accepted the head coaching job with the New Orleans Pelicans, Willie Green stated that he would measure his team's development in 10-game increments.

The Pels have completed four of those increments, with Monday night's win over the Washington Wizards adding the one-game lagniappe to bring their NBA season to the halfway point.

As of Jan. 10, the Pelicans are 25-16, on pace for their first 50-win season since the 2007-08 Hornets won 56 games, the only 50-win season in the history of the franchise.

They've done it with the seventh-most missed games in the NBA. All-Star Brandon Ingram has missed 26 and counting, Herb Jones and Zion Williamson have missed 12 each, and CJ McCollum has sat for five.

And yet the Pelicans sit third in the Western Conference standings, are ranked in the top 10 both on offense and defense, and have become one of the better stories in the league so far.

So, the staff at Pelicans Scoop thought now would be the perfect time to take a look back on the road so far, and try to gaze into the future that may lie ahead, including the looming trade deadline on Feb. 9.

Here are our biggest surprises, disappointments, adjustments, and projections for the rest of the 2022-23 NBA regular season.

Jonas

Season's Biggest Surprise

What has been this season's biggest surprise regarding the New Orleans Pelicans? 

Chris Dodson

That the team is this good, this soon, especially considering the injuries piling up. I expected a hungry group coming off of that playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns. I figured Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum would need a few games to figure things out. I did not figure the team would win games at this rate if the injury bug hit and the All-Stars were watching more than they were warming up together.

The team's depth has passed every test. Now the next big surprise to look forward to is if some of those talents are passed on to another team in a trade, and how that might upset the current chemistry.

David Grubb

The improvement defensively has been the biggest surprise for me. I thought that the Pelicans had talented individual defenders, namely Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, and Dyson Daniels, but I had concerns about the development of Zion Williamson after his injury, and Jonas Valanciunas did not play well defensively in the postseason.

There has definitely been some slippage lately on the defensive end. The Pelicans still have some matchup concerns in the both the front court and back court (lack of rim protection, experience/length at the point guard position), but for the most post they compete hard every night on that end of the court.

They have become one of the most dangerous teams in the league when it comes to generating turnovers and converting those into points. Most of defense and rebounding comes down to "want to," and the Pelicans want to play defense. When they are on, they can shut teams down for minutes on end. 

Terry Kimble

It would have to be the commitment the team has made on the defensive end. Individually, we knew there were some good defenders such as Herb, Jose, and we had thoughts about what Dyson could do, but collectively this unit has been rock solid. That isn't always easy for a young team to prioritize defense, but Coach Green has got them fully committing on that side. 

Honorable mention would have to be the success Naji Marshall has had this season. He has truly been a "knife" on this team.......in a good way.

CJ McCollum

Biggest Disappointment

What has been the most disappointing thing about the season for the New Orleans Pelicans?

Dodson 

I'm sticking with injuries. That Pelicans cannot help a toe or hamstring that twitches midseason. Or ribs, or tailbones bruised following big blocks for that matter. The Pelicans cannot do anything when teams like the Golden State Warriors rest players in New Orleans. 

My biggest disappointment is that the fans, for all the good this season has brought so far, are still not quite getting their monies worth from the NBA at large. The Smoothie King Center fans do not quite get the respect either, considering some of the hot takes around the team. 

Grubb

The most disappointing thing this season is the fact that Jaxson Hayes continues to show very little interest in becoming a solid NBA player.

Considering his athletic gifts, the fact that his skill-set is something the Pelicans desperately need, and this being his fourth season, he should be better. He is not.

Here are some sobering statistics for fans still holding out hope for Jax. In 214 career games, Hayes has a grand total of seven double-doubles.. That total pales in comparison to another Pelicans front court project from the past, Cheick Diallo, who produced 16 double-doubles in 81 fewer games.

Hayes is averaging career-lows in points (4.7), minutes, field goal percentage (.522), rebounds (3.0), and blocks (0.5), and yet he still plays ahead of Willy Hernangomez.

Jaxson is a restricted free agent this offseason, typically meaning a player tries to earn a big payday. Jaxson Hayes is playing himself out of the league.

Kimble

That all 82 games didn't look like the season opener. Yes injuries happen, but it seems the "Injury Gods" aren't willing to let go some prior Pelicans' transgression. We saw a small sample size of what this team looks like and I think fans are clamoring for more on an extended basis. 

Herb Jones

Needs Improvement

Where can the Pelicans improve most during the second half of the season?

Dodson

Shooting. And the second-line rotations need shooting just as much as the starter and closing five lineups. Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Jose Alvarado are second-year players but they are old second-year players. The shooting streaks and slumps cannot be because their legs are wavering this early in the season. Alvarado went off for 38 points on December 4. He was 10/51 from three-point range over the next month. Jones has as many "0-for" nights as he does with 2+ made three-pointers. Murphy III has averaged only 5 shots a game with Williamson and Ingram out. 

Grubb

Outside of roster improvements, on the court the Pelicans need to avoid mental lapses on the court. 

I'm certain they result from a combination of injuries, inexperience, and combos that are unfamiliar with each other, but far too often the Pelicans have extended periods during games where they seem to forget what it is they're supposed to be doing.

On offense, the ball will stop moving. Players will get careless with the basketball, leading to points in transition for their opponents. Sometimes Zion Williamson will go multiple possessions without even touching the basketball, or the entire offense will take place on one side of the court with little cutting, screening, or off-ball action.

Defensively, the Pelicans communicate as much as they have in the years that I've covered them. However, there are still too many situations where the opponent can get to the basket almost unimpeded. Closing possessions with a defensive rebound has been an issue at times as well. 

The mental side of the game is the hardest to master and ultimately its what separates champions from contenders.

Kimble 

Valuing the basketball. Turnovers continue to plague the Pelicans I get there has been much turnover (no pun intended) in the lineup. Guys aren't used to playing with certain guys for an extended period on he court, but unless you shoot at such a high clip from 3 with a high volume (which the Pelicans don't) it's hard to make up for wasted possessions. This team can usually get what it wants on offense, it just needs to keep the ball in order to do so.

CJ McCollum

Playoff Outlook, Regular Season Adjustments

How do you think things will shake out in the Western Conference Playoff Race? What is the biggest adjustment the coaching staff will have to make between now and when the postseason begins?

Dodson

Standings stay pretty much as they are now, except the Sacramento Kings fall into the Play-In Tournament. The Lakers do not make it into the NBA Playoffs. The Pelicans start playing Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels more, especially if Herb Jones cannot find his shot.

Grubb

Prior to the season, I felt like the Western Conference was 12-13 teams deep. That's certainly how things have played out so far with a grand total of nine games separating first place Denver from 13th place Oklahoma City.

Very much like the 2017-18 season when the Pelicans grabbed the sixth seed but were only two games from missing the postseason and two games from claiming home court advantage in the first round.

The trade market will favor sellers this season because so many teams are still in contention.

My thoughts on the Pelicans haven't changed though. If they can secure home court with a top-four seed, they give themselves a legitimate chance at a run to the conference finals. If they don't have home court, I can still see them advancing to the second round, depending on the matchup. 

At the very least, one series win seems to be the low bar for this team. 

The key for the coaching staff will be using the depth of the roster during the regular season to ensure the team is as healthy for the postseason, while not sacrificing potential, seed-altering wins in the process.

Kimble

It will be interesting to see, once healthy, who will be on the court to close games. So many guys have contributed in key situations that a few have earned the right to be there in the clutch. I think the biggest adjustment will be getting everyone healthy for a stretch and seeing how the coaching staff tinkers with late game lineups. With the depth this team has that's a good problem to have, but its still something to figure out. 

Zion Williamson

41 More Games: Predictions

Pretty simple, how do things shake out for the New Orleans Pelicans over the next 41 games?

Dodson

The Pelicans have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the second half of the season. Williamson and Ingram seem like they are on track to return before the NBA All-Star break. As long as the injuries do not stack up anymore, New Orleans is in line for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. If healthy, they should push for the top seed. If any more main contributors sit out, the West is so stacked the Pelicans could fall below the fourth seed and back into the Play-In race. 

Grubb

Not accounting for health, the Pelicans likely finish this season second in the Southwest Division behind the Grizzlies with a top-four seed in the West. 

They should top 30 wins at home, though I expect they end up below .500 on the road. I'm still standing by my preseason projection of 45-48 wins, but a 50-win season is definitely on the table.

Kimble

If this team gets back healthy, it should be a Top 3 seed in the West. I'm interested in knowing if the front office is content with that or if they want to push all their chips in and go after a shooter before the deadline. They have the assets and players to make just about any deal work, but it's about how aggressive they want to be this year. 

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