Pelicans' Biggest X-Factor Heading Into the 2026-2027 NBA Season

The New Orleans Pelicans remained relatively quiet this offseason, electing not to make any drastic roster changes heading into the upcoming year. Their cautious approach means a roster that won just 26 games last season will take the court again this year, looking to improve on their disastrous campaign.

To make significant improvement, New Orleans will need a host of players to step up, but one player in particular could be an X-factor for team success.

Herb Jones enters his sixth season with the Pelicans with more to prove now than at any other point in his career. Injuries have hampered his last two seasons in New Orleans, limiting him to just 76 games played over that stretch.

That was the same number of games as his breakout 2023 season when he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Jones also had career highs in points and three-point shooting that year. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the Pelicans also won 49 games that season, the second-most in franchise history.

HERB JONES. THE SAVIOR pic.twitter.com/XeXBA4jaWB
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 6, 2024

Herb Jones' Shooting Will Be a Big Swing Factor for the Pelicans

One of the Pelicans’ biggest weaknesses again this year looks to be outside shooting. They were one of the worst teams in the league over the last two seasons in three-point attempts and makes per game.

Jones’ standout 2023 season saw the former second-round pick make 41% from deep that year. While the former Alabama standout is a career 35% shooter from beyond the arc, his injuries, including a torn labrum in his shoulder, have negatively impacted his shooting.

He’s since been given the all-clear to be fully healthy heading into this year, leaving a strong chance he could again be effective as a floor spacer in the offense.

Even though his 20 games played last year were a small sample size, the numbers showed a glimpse of the impact he could have. According to Databallr, the Pelicans were +4 in offensive rating when Jones was on the floor, but had a -8.1 net rating when he was off. When paired alongside Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, the Pelicans' offensive rating was +1.5 better than their average.

Take Jones away in lineups that still included Williamson and Queen, and the Pelicans' offensive rating plummeted by -9.8. Williamson and Queen will undoubtedly play significant time together this season, making a player like Jones paramount as a spacer or connective passer when the ball swings out of the paint. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged over three assists per game.

His defensive impact is well-documented. Jones is a career 1.6 steals-per-game player and averages nearly a block per game. The Pelicans are devoid of any true rim protectors outside of maybe Yves Missi, so their perimeter defense is important to keep opposing teams out of the paint. New Orleans ranked near the bottom in opposition points in the paint last season, and part of that was the free driving lanes teams were consistently getting.

A healthy Jones should combat some of that next season and help the communication and fabric of the team’s defense. His style goes well with the defensive philosophy of new head coach Jamahl Mosley.

HERB. JONES.🗣️ pic.twitter.com/gw3Nx8kXnY
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 19, 2025

Jones’ role has expanded over the years from lockdown defender to viable corner three-point threat to even facilitating certain aspects of the offense. His versatility on both ends of the court has been invaluable to this team in the past, and if the Pelicans want to succeed, they'll need it from him in the future.

He is in the midst of a three-year extension he signed last summer, meaning he’s under contract through the 2028-2029 season, with a player option for the next year. Success will be gradual for the Pelicans, but Jones seems like a player to help spearhead that in the future.

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