What to Make of Pelicans' Frustratingly Quiet Offseason

Many were hoping this would truly be the offseason of change for the New Orleans Pelicans. The team hired a new coach, Jamahl Mosley, hoping to change the culture of accountability that many felt was lacking under the previous regime. New Orleans desperately needed to upgrade a roster that has some talent, but most of the parts clearly do not fit together long-term.

NBA free agency opened this week with many teams signing free agents or making blockbuster trades to compete with the ever-changing landscape of the league. Meanwhile, the Pelicans, a team coming off back-to-back sub-30-win seasons, have made no notable moves except to re-sign 19-year veteran center DeAndre Jordan.

Free agent DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal to return to the New Orleans Pelicans for his 19th NBA season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/gmAULFUi2r
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2026

Pelicans Have Made Zero Additions to the Roster

New Orleans didn’t even have the prospect of a top pick to improve its fortune. The Pelicans didn’t have a first-round pick because of last year’s draft night move to surrender a 2026 first-round pick to acquire Derik Queen.

Landing local guard Jaron Pierre Jr. out of St. Aug at No. 58 overall is a great, feel-good hometown story. He’s a good scorer who plays above the rim, but as a late second-rounder, he isn't a piece you can count on to alter the trajectory of the 2026–27 season.

The future may seem bright with Queen and fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears, but the present fortunes of the team seem like more of the same as currently constructed.

The Pelicans have around $10 million in salary cap space remaining, which the team will undoubtedly operate within this year. New Orleans has never paid the luxury tax in its history, and it certainly won’t for the foreseeable future.

Its best player, Zion Williamson, is entering his eighth season in the league, with Mosley as his fifth coach. Executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars remained steadfast all summer that Williamson is firmly entrenched in the team’s plans. With no moves in line for New Orleans to start a full rebuild, the organization seems content to run it back yet again.

In the past, the team would use the injury excuse to justify keeping things the same year over year. Last season, New Orleans reincorporated Dejounte Murray back into the lineup after he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon the season before. The pairing of him and guard Jordan Poole only logged a total of 10 minutes together last season, casting doubt about what the future of those two could be.

With both players making over $30 million apiece next season, many speculate that at least one will be dealt soon. The hope is that a deal could return the Pelicans some much-needed frontcourt help.

Aside from the 37-year-old Jordan, Yves Missi is the only true center on the team. Many of the team’s past struggles involved interior defense and rebounding, issues that have yet to be addressed this offseason.

Ditto to three-point shooting, where the team ranked near the bottom of the league in attempts and makes the past couple of seasons. With most of the major free agents already off the board and the Pelicans with limited cap space, options to drastically improve this roster are limited.

The door is not closed on a Trey Murphy III trade, per @JakeLFischer

(Via @BleacherReport ) pic.twitter.com/541OY2jkbQ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 1, 2026

Rumors were floating around that the team was fielding inquiries regarding sharpshooting forward Trey Murphy III, citing a potential asking price of three first-round picks. That would signal a move to collect future assets to build around their rookies moving forward. No deal has materialized, leaving fans to wonder about the team's direction moving forward.

Right now, the front office looks caught between two timelines. Are they quietly planning a deeper move, listening to the persistent rumors surrounding Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones to extract a legitimate starting big? Or are they genuinely content to stay the course, let Mosley implement his defensive system, and hope a healthy roster naturally progresses?

If it's the latter, running back largely the same roster that has bottomed out the last two years is a massive gamble. Free agency is far from over, but the margin for error to salvage this offseason is shrinking by the hour.

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