The New Orleans Pelicans are about to have a bounceback season after a disastrous campaign in 2024-25.
New Orleans brought veterans Jordan Poole and Sadiq Bey to town in exchange for CJ McCollum and Kelly Olinik.
The arrival of the pool will be fun to watch as the lineup offers more shot creation and playmaking.
The Pelicans also gained experience, internal defense and rebound by signing center Kevon Rooney, who was a former teammate of the Golden State Warriors pool.
Meanwhile, the Pelican landed two young players in the lottery.
After being in the lottery last season, the Pelicans will look to be competitive again.
The Western Conference will be extremely tough this season, but Pelicans head coach Willie Green will not step back.
Green was interviewed by ESPN senior writer Mark Spears, and was asked, “What message do you have for Pelican fans and the city of New Orleans about this team?”
“The biggest thing I want to say is, first and foremost, we are very grateful for that support to either the fans or people who support us.
“The fact that they come to me and say anything means they are watching.
“We’re here, so I’ll ask them to keep watching and tighten your seat belt.”
If the Pelicans go far this season, they need a healthy, fully engaged Zion Williamson.
Williamson is entering his seventh NBA season after being selected for the No. 1 overall pick from Duke in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The two-time All-Star had a strong campaign in 2024-25, averaging 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists, but once again he only played 30 games, there was another injury issue that kept him out of the lineup.
Since entering the league, Williamson has played just more than twice, having injured more than 30 games in the season. His weight and conditioning are also under question.
However, on the Pelicans’ Media Day, Williamson appears to be significantly slimmer, saying, “It feels good to feel good. I haven’t felt this way since college.”
If the Pelican wants to be relevant this season, it all starts with Williamson availability.