Pelicans Have a Clear Lesson to Learn from 1st Round of Playoffs

Even though the New Orleans Pelicans are not participants in the playoffs, they should still learn from the postseason action.

Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan (left) and forward Zion Williamson (1) talks during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are at home watching the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season after finishing the year 26-56. One lone bright spot is that the team gets to sit back and evaluate what works and doesn’t work when competing for an NBA championship.

An overwhelming conclusion from the first round is that the teams that shoot the best from beyond the arc are having great success, while the teams that are struggling from distance are struggling in their series.

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The top three three-point shooting teams so far in these playoffs are the San Antonio Spurs (42.3%), Los Angeles Lakers (40.8%), and Boston Celtics (37.6%). All three teams hold a commanding 3-1 lead in their respective series.

Conversely, the three worst shooting teams so far in the playoffs, the Houston Rockets (31.3%), Denver Nuggets (30.1%), and Detroit Pistons (27.5%), are all on the brink of elimination and will be sent home with another loss in their series. This new era of space and shooting has historically favored the best shooting team over the last decade plus.

Since 2013, only two of the last 13 NBA champions have finished outside of the top ten in three-point shooting the year they won the championship. In fact, nine of the last 13 NBA champions finished in the top four shooting the year they won.

One of the Pelicans’ worst attributes over the last few seasons has been outside shooting, and they’ve done little to address those needs over the last couple of years. New Orleans finished 24th in the league over the last two years, shooting exactly 34.7% from deep, with both seasons culminating in fewer than 30 wins.

Teams struggling right now in the playoffs see the “math” problem of trying to trade twos for threes and not having the personnel to deal with better-shooting teams. New Orleans must address this issue this offseason if it hopes to have any chance to compete next season and beyond.

The roster is built with a generational talent like Zion Williamson, whose sheer skill and athleticism can win his matchups on most nights. New Orleans’ problem is that teams load up the paint to stop him, with little fear of consistent outside threats from the Pelicans.

Not only do the Pelicans shoot at a low percentage, but they also take a low volume of threes, ranking 25th in the NBA for threes attempted per game. At 32, the Pelicans are 11 attempts behind the league leader, who takes 43 threes a contest.

Regardless of make or miss, New Orleans misses out on a substantial amount of potential points every game because of their lack of attempts. Williamson has not added an outside shot to his game, so while dominant, he still becomes predictable because of where he takes his shots.

Add to that the Pelicans drafted a similar downhill player in Derik Queen, and New Orleans doesn’t have many players outside of Trey Murphy III who are consistent shot takers and shot makers from distance.

There will be a few free agents the Pelicans should closely consider to improve that aspect of the team. Ideally, New Orleans would prioritize a stretch big next to Williamson to create driving lanes for him, while also drawing the opposing big to the perimeter. A player like Kristaps Porzingis, who had a down year with injuries, could look for a shorter deal to rebuild value before hitting the market again.

New Orleans is widely expected to deal either Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray next season, each with a $30+ million contract. A move like declining the team option on veteran center Kevon Looney would save the team upwards of $8 million next season, providing them some financial relief.

This year’s playoffs are an eye-opener not only for the teams involved but also for the ones hoping to participate next season. Shooting and space are top priorities for success in this league, and the Pelicans currently lag behind in both. This upcoming summer is key to addressing those concerns.