New Orleans enters the season carrying the weight of a 26-56 finish and another missed playoff run, but the front office has chosen continuity over a roster teardown. The Pelicans will open against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 21, with the first look at whether internal growth can lift a team that finished 11th in the Western Conference.
What New Orleans is bringing back
The Pelicans made several offseason additions, bringing in AJ Johnson, Bennedict Mathurin, Jaron Pierre Jr. and Trendon Watford. Still, the larger bet is on the players already in the building.
- New Orleans closed last season at 26-56, outside the postseason picture and 11th in the West.
- The organization added Johnson, Mathurin, Pierre and Watford rather than reshaping the roster wholesale.
- Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen showed encouraging signs as rookies and are positioned to chase larger rotation roles and heavier minutes.
- The ceiling remains tied to Zion Williamson’s availability, Trey Murphy’s production, and late-game execution from established options including Dejounte Murray and Mathurin.
- If the club does not gain traction, Murray’s name could become a major subject as the trade deadline approaches.
Fears and Queen sit at the center of the Pelicans’ longer-range plan. Their development is not merely a bonus on the margins; it is a requirement for a team attempting to improve without a sweeping reset.
Mosley takes over a young group
New coach Jamahl Mosley arrives with a developmental assignment and a defensive repair job. He previously guided Orlando’s young core, notably Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, and helped the Magic reach the playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
That background matters in New Orleans, where the club ranked among the league’s bottom 10 defenses in each of the past two campaigns. Team president Joe Dumars is counting on Mosley to establish a different standard around the roster’s young players and reshape the culture. A quick connection with the core would allow the organization to focus more aggressively on adding complementary talent.
The paint problem remains on the clipboard
The Pelicans generated more paint attempts than any other team last season, with 58% of their shots coming inside the lane. Williamson was a major driver of that profile, ranking third in the NBA with 791 field-goal attempts in the paint.
- Williamson made 60.3% of his paint attempts, above the 57.8% league average and his best rate in that area over the past three years.
- New Orleans as a team converted only 55.4% in the paint, the NBA’s second-lowest mark.
- Herbert Jones, Micah Peavy and Jordan Poole were three of 41 players who shot below 50% on at least 100 paint attempts.
- Mathurin owns a 51.5% career rate in the paint, though his ability to draw fouls could improve the offense’s overall efficiency.
The contrast is sharp: a team built around getting to the rim did not finish possessions efficiently enough once it arrived there. That is one of the clearest places Mosley’s staff will need to find answers.
Herb Jones has a prime-year test
Jones is the Pelicans’ leading bounce-back candidate. His length, anticipation and positional versatility once made him one of the league’s most disruptive defenders, and he earned First Team All-Defense recognition in 2024. His progress has stalled since then, however, and his production has slipped.
At 28, Jones is in the middle of his prime. This season could clarify whether he can again anchor a top-level defense in New Orleans or whether his value becomes more significant in trade discussions. His outside shooting will be a key marker after he hit just 31% from 3-point range over the last two seasons.
Dates to circle on the early schedule
- Oct. 21 vs. Indiana Pacers: The season opener gives Mathurin a meeting with his former team, while the Dejounte Murray-Tyrese Haliburton matchup should set the guard-line tone.
- Nov. 6 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Williamson faces Anthony Edwards, another No. 1 overall pick whose career path has been markedly different. Health remains the central question for Williamson.
- Nov. 18 vs. Detroit Pistons: This begins a three-game measuring-stick stretch against Detroit, Oklahoma City and San Antonio.
- Nov. 29 vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Williamson and Ja Morant, selected first and second in the 2019 Draft, meet while both work to reestablish the trajectory expected of franchise-changing prospects.
- Feb. 2 vs. Orlando Magic: Mosley returns to Orlando after leading the Magic to three straight playoff appearances.
The Pelicans do not need every returning player to make a leap at once. They do need more from their young foundation, a healthier Williamson, a revived Jones and enough structure from Mosley to turn a 26-win baseline into something sturdier.
