New Orleans Pelicans' Challenging Season Start Prompts Re-evaluation of Strategic Direction and Williamson's Long-Term Fit.

The New Orleans Pelicans have commenced their National Basketball Association (NBA) season with an challenging 0-6 record as of Monday morning, placing them among the league’s two winless franchises. This dismal start stands in stark contrast to the team’s perceived aspirations, particularly given a series of assertive, and now heavily scrutinized, offseason maneuvers executed by the front office, led by Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars. These decisions indicated a strong belief in the team’s immediate competitiveness, a conviction that current on-court results have profoundly undermined.

One of the most notable offseason transactions involved the trade of the Indiana Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick. This pick, projected to be a valuable asset given the Pacers’ current 1-5 record, was initially acquired by the Pelicans. They then utilized it to secure the 23rd overall selection in the current year’s draft. Subsequently, the Pelicans packaged this 23rd pick with their own unprotected 2026 first-round selection to ascend to the 13th overall spot, where they drafted forward Derik Queen. The commitment of a future unprotected first-round pick—a move typically reserved for teams on the cusp of championship contention or targeting a generational talent—to move up ten spots in a draft has raised significant questions, particularly as Queen logged only seven minutes in the team’s recent Sunday fixture, a game in which the Pelicans faced a substantial deficit from the second quarter onwards. The limited playing time for a player acquired at such a significant future cost suggests a disconnect between the draft strategy and immediate player development philosophy.

Further complicating the Pelicans’ roster construction was the acquisition of guard Jordan Poole. This trade involved sending C.J. McCollum’s expiring contract, which provided future financial flexibility, to another team in exchange for Poole, who is currently under contract for an additional two years with a substantial financial commitment. This move is particularly puzzling given the Pelicans had already drafted point guard Jeremiah Fears with the eighth overall pick and are committed to Dejounte Murray with a contract exceeding $90 million over the next three seasons. The apparent surplus of guards and significant salary allocation to the position, without clear immediate benefits, has added to the scrutiny of the team’s strategic direction.

The rationale behind such aggressive draft and trade maneuvers, particularly the relinquishing of an unprotected future first-round pick, typically rests on one of two assumptions: either the team believes it will be highly competitive in the immediate season, rendering its future pick less valuable, or the player acquired is considered a transformative talent. The Pelicans’ current 0-6 record in a highly competitive Western Conference challenges the first assumption. The second assumption is also called into question by Derik Queen’s minimal on-court presence, even in blowout scenarios where developmental minutes could be crucial. This situation has led to calls for greater accountability within the Pelicans’ executive leadership, with head coach Willie Green also facing increasing pressure.

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At the center of the Pelicans’ current predicament is forward Zion Williamson. Despite entering the season with considerable media attention regarding his improved physical condition, Williamson’s on-court efficiency has been notably low. He is currently shooting 48% from the field, a significant drop from his career average of 60.5%. Data from Cleaning the Glass indicates that Williamson has not attempted a single shot outside of 14 feet in non-garbage time this season, highlighting his reliance on interior scoring. While his ability to get to the rim remains a fundamental aspect of his game, his current scoring efficiency suggests either a lack of complementary offensive schemes or an individual struggle to convert at his customary rate. Williamson’s health history, which includes missing significant portions of previous seasons due to injury, has also consistently limited his availability and the team’s ability to build continuity around him. Despite these challenges, his unique physical tools and flashes of dominance mean he retains a degree of trade value. Analysts have begun to suggest that the Pelicans should consider exploring trade options for Williamson, along with other valuable assets such as Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, to initiate a comprehensive rebuilding process around younger talents like Queen and Fears, thereby cutting their losses and potentially regaining control of future draft capital. The absence of their own 2026 unprotected first-round pick, already traded, complicates any immediate tanking strategy for a potentially strong 2026 draft class.

Ja Morant’s Evolving Shot Selection Raises Efficiency Concerns

In Memphis, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant’s early season performance has raised concerns regarding his offensive efficiency and shot selection. Morant has started the season shooting 15% from beyond the arc (5-for-31) and 40% overall from the field, both marks significantly below his career averages and the league standard for primary ball-handlers. Historically, Morant has not been recognized as a perimeter shooting threat, but his ability to penetrate defenses and finish at the rim with elite athleticism often compensated for this deficiency.

However, advanced metrics indicate a troubling shift in Morant’s shot diet. Data from Cleaning the Glass reveals a significant decline in his "at-rim frequency," which represents the percentage of his total shots taken within four feet of the basket. This frequency has reportedly fallen to 25% this season, a sharp decrease from approximately 50% during what many consider his prime MVP-caliber seasons. Concurrently, 37% of Morant’s shots this season have originated from either the long mid-range area (between 15 feet and the three-point line) or beyond the arc. This represents a cumulative career high for attempts from these less efficient zones.

This shift in shot selection has correlated with an across-the-board decline in several key statistical categories over recent seasons. His points per game have decreased from 27.4 in 2021-22 to 23.2 (projected for 2024-25 in the provided data), while paint points per game have dropped from 16.6 to 11.4. Other efficiency metrics such as free throw rate, Player Efficiency Rating (PER), Win Shares per 48 minutes, and Box Plus-Minus (BPM) have also shown a consistent downward trend. PER measures per-minute production, Win Shares per 48 estimates a player’s contribution to team wins per 48 minutes, and BPM estimates a player’s contribution to the team when on the court. The decline in these metrics suggests a reduction in overall on-court impact and efficiency.

Beyond the statistical trends, Morant’s season has also been marked by off-court incidents, including a recent suspension by the Grizzlies for a game, and reports of clashes with the coaching staff. These issues, combined with observed lapses in defensive effort and a perceived disinterest in running offensive schemes that do not align with his preferred style of play, have led some analysts to question whether Morant’s overall contribution to the Grizzlies’ success might be diminishing relative to the challenges he presents to the franchise.

Golden State Warriors’ Defensive Struggles Without Draymond Green

The Golden State Warriors, after a promising 4-1 start to the season, have encountered a period of instability, suffering consecutive losses against undermanned opponents. These defeats included a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, who were without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the then-winless Indiana Pacers, who were missing key players such as Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, and T.J. McConnell. These losses have significantly eroded the early season momentum and highlight a critical dependency within the Warriors’ defensive scheme.

While the Warriors’ offense has performed below the league average in the nascent stages of the season, a more pronounced and concerning trend has emerged on the defensive end. The team’s defensive effectiveness experiences a dramatic decline when veteran forward Draymond Green is off the court. Statistical analysis from Cleaning the Glass illustrates this disparity: with Green on the court, the Warriors boast a Defensive Rating (D-RTG) of 106.2, coupled with a positive point differential of +12 per 100 possessions. A D-RTG measures the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions.

Conversely, when Green is off the court, the Warriors’ D-RTG plummets to 126.0, and their point differential shifts to a negative -11.5 per 100 possessions. This represents a swing of 23.5 points per 100 possessions, an impact comparable to the offensive influence of elite players like Nikola Jokic. To contextualize, a D-RTG of 106.2 would rank the Warriors as the fourth-best defense in the league, while a D-RTG of 126.0 would place them as the 29th-ranked defense.

Green’s role in the Warriors’ defensive system is foundational. His elite communication, ability to direct rotations, versatile switching capabilities, and capacity to guard multiple positions, often against physically larger opponents despite his own undersized stature, are indispensable. He functions as the defensive anchor, akin to Stephen Curry’s role as the primary offensive engine. However, Green, currently 34 years old, cannot be expected to maintain heavy minutes throughout the regular season (he is currently averaging under 30 minutes per game). Managing his workload is crucial for his health and effectiveness in the postseason. The significant drop-off in defensive performance without him raises questions about the team’s defensive depth and their ability to sustain championship aspirations if they cannot mitigate Green’s absence more effectively. Addressing this dependency will be a key challenge for head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors’ coaching staff as the season progresses.