Pelicans Must Address 1 Glaring Concern In the Offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans have 16 games remaining in their regular season before turning their full attention to building a competitive team in the offseason. New Orleans has many holes to fill, given their 21-45 record on the year, but one issue has been present with this team for a few seasons now: interior defense. This offseason must be used to address this issue if the Pelicans have any hope of a future outside the Western Conference cellar.

Currently, New Orleans ranks 24th in the league in opponents' points in the paint, surrendering 52.7 points in the restricted area. Last season, the team finished 27th in the same category, giving up 52.3, so the team has slightly regressed even from last year. The team compounds the issue by not finishing defensive possessions with rebounding, as opponents collect 31.3% of their missed shots as offensive rebounds. Defense and rebounding are mostly about effort, but right now, the current players are not getting the job done.

For the praise rookie center Derik Queen gets for his offensive skillset, the same amount of criticism can be heaped on his defensive deficiencies. When Queen and Zion Williamson share the court, the Pelicans' net rating plummets to -12, with a 123.9 defensive rating. When Queen sits down, New Orleans' net rating skyrockets to a net positive 0.4, with the defensive rating improving to 114.3.

It’s one of the reasons interim head coach James Borrego pushed the button of sending Queen to the bench in favor of 37-year-old center DeAndre Jordan last month. Although the sample size is small, Jordan’s presence highlighted the impact a defensive-minded big man can have in the lineup.

Derik Queen often looks lost on defense. There is potential to improve over the next few years but he looks more lost than I've seen a rookie look since Alperen Sengun's rookie season. pic.twitter.com/wlxCGH7ArL
— Per Sources (@PerSources) November 11, 2025

According to Databallr, when Jordan is in the lineup, opposing defenses are shooting 58.2% in the paint. When he’s off the floor, opponents shot nearly 67% from the restricted area. That’s a massive difference for one player.

Borrego echoed those sentiments when the move was first made against the Philadelphia 76ers in late February. “His impact defensively for us tonight was massive,” Borrego said of Jordan in the win versus the Sixers. “To be a good defensive ball club in this league, you’ve got to have some type of physicality, rim protection, deterrence, a presence in the middle — and he (Jordan) provided that.”

The Pelicans hoped second-year center Yves Missi could provide a similar defensive presence. Still, the former Baylor prospect has had his minutes and games reduced this season amid a crowded frontcourt competing for time. Reports were that the Pelicans were seeking trade partners before the deadline, hoping to get a first-round pick in exchange for the young center. No deal materialized, and Missi remains on the roster, but his future with the team is certainly in doubt.

The Cameroonian-born center needs to build out his frame and footwork to help stabilize the interior. Missi has only been playing organized basketball for about six years. Whether the Pelicans are willing to wait for his full development will be the burning question surrounding him.

Even if he still needs to get physically stronger, Yves Missi’s physical and athletic gifts make him a threat to block or alter any shot

Huge breakout game from the Pelicans’ rook, who sorely need his growth to accelerate with so many players missing pic.twitter.com/JikTH2JjaS
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) November 12, 2024

While Missi and Queen are very young basketball players, Williamson is in his seventh season with New Orleans, so there must be some personal accountability on Zion's part. He possesses the athleticism to be a decent defender, but Williamson is often caught flat-footed or easily beaten on the perimeter. The Queen and Williamson pairing simply doesn’t work now, but Williamson should be further along defensively in his career than he is. It’s becoming almost impossible to have them together on the floor late in games because of their defensive weaknesses.

New Orleans does not have a first-round pick next season because of the Queen deal on draft night. Improving this area would likely have to come through free agency or an offseason trade. In the last two seasons, the Pelicans acquired both Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole through offseason moves, so adding a defensive protector in the interior is paramount to future success.