3 Pelicans X-Factors Who Can Help Them Exceed Expectations Next Season

The frustratingly quiet offseason by the New Orleans Pelicans has lowered the fanbase's expectations. After back-to-back seasons with fewer than 30 wins, the Pelicans have failed to give their fans hope for the future. They have chosen to bring back the same team that won 26 games last season.

How can this group be better than it was last year? What needs to go right for the Pelicans to win over 30 games and perhaps compete for a Play-In spot? Let's take a look at some X-factors that can help the Pelicans overperform.

Dejounte Murray

The 29-year-old guard will be the biggest difference between last season's and next season's team. Murray missed the first four months of the season before making his comeback from an Achilles rupture in February. He ended up playing in 14 games, averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 27.8 minutes per game.

Murray struggled with his jump shot and turned the ball over at a high rate, but the Pelicans were much better after his return. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Pels had a +3.0 net rating with Murray on the floor, an on/off difference of +8.2.

Given that the other two lead guards on the team were a rookie in Jeremiah Fears and one of the most disappointing players in the NBA in Jordan Poole, this made sense.

Murray could struggle with efficiency and turnovers again. His defense will likely not be as good as it was before the injury. But he is a competent veteran who knows how to run an offense and create shots for himself and others. This should be enough to give the Pelicans a boost offensively. Defensively, he isn't going to be as bad as Fears or Poole, so the Pels could be better on that end as well.

If Murray can stay healthy and play over 60 games next season, the Pelicans could look a lot better.

Yves Missi

Missi will be one of the most important players for the Pelicans next season. He is the only traditional center who will be in the rotation to start the season. How many minutes he can play and how effective he can be in those minutes will determine how good the Pelicans can be defensively.

New Orleans will give Derik Queen and Zion Williamson minutes at the five. But it's difficult to imagine the Pelicans surviving defensively in those lineups. The rebounding, physicality, and rim protection will likely be too bad.

That is why the Pelicans desperately need Missi. If the front office doesn't add another center between now and the start of the season, Missi needs to play as many minutes as he can handle.

Even though his numbers fell in his second season in the league, Missi actually took steps forward. He showed flashes of defensive versatility and rim protection. He was much better offensively, catching the ball and finishing inside the paint. At age 22, Missi still has some upside. If he can prove himself as a starting-caliber center in the NBA, the Pelicans could be much better than expected.

Jamahl Mosley

The most important factor in determining the Pelicans' success will be coaching. This is not an easy team to coach. The parts don't fit together perfectly. There are players with redundant skill sets. There isn't enough defense or shooting.

For this team to be greater than the sum of its parts, it needs great coaching. Mosley showed that he can do that on the defensive side of the ball in Orlando. He will not have the same type of defensive personnel in New Orleans. This means that he has to get more creative on that end of the floor to get the most out of his limited roster.

Mosley was heavily criticized for his offense in Orlando. He consistently had poor offenses during his tenure and wasn't able to unlock Paolo Banchero. But at least he is used to working with limited shooting and spacing. If he can use what he has learned in his Magic tenure to get the most out of Zion Williamson offensively, the Pelicans could reach a new level.

But the Pelicans' success has to start on the defensive end. Mosley has to instill discipline and effort to give this team a defensive identity. That requires getting the buy-in from his players. If he can get this team to punch above its weight defensively, then the Pelicans could be better than expected.

Add us as a preferred source on Google