New Orleans PelicansNew Orleans must give its talent a framework
The Pelicans have kept Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, added Bennedict Mathurin and handed the team to Jamahl Mosley.
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The Pelicans have kept Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, added Bennedict Mathurin and handed the team to Jamahl Mosley. After only 26 wins, the priority will be to give this group a defensive structure and a clear pecking order. The progress of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen must also fit into that reset.
The starting point: moving on from a 26-win season
New Orleans finished eleventh in the West with 26 wins and 56 defeats in 2025–2026. That record forces a distinction between individual potential and team output. Mosley follows the Willie Green era and James Borrego's interim spell. His challenge will be to build habits simple enough to be repeated: protecting the rim, finishing possessions with the rebound and producing a first pass that lets the offence get into its set.
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The summer: reinforcements without erasing the core
Bennedict Mathurin arrives to add shot creation and perimeter finishing. AJ Johnson and Trendon Watford also join the group, as does rookie Jaron Pierre Jr. Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, Kevon Looney, Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson are among the departures. The core of Williamson, Murphy, Herbert Jones, Dejounte Murray, Fears and Queen remains in place. Continuity offers room to work, but it is not in itself proof that the right combinations have been found.
- →Bennedict MathurinBennedict Mathurin · arrival
- →AJ JohnsonAJ Johnson · arrival
- →Trendon WatfordTrendon Watford · arrival
- →Jaron Pierre Jr.Jaron Pierre Jr. · arrival
- ←Jordan Hawkins · departure
- ←Micah Peavy · departure
- ←Kevon Looney · departure
- ←Trey Alexander · departure
- ←Hunter Dickinson · departure
The squad's offensive reference points
2025–2026 regular season, all teams combined. A documented selection of players with at least ten games; not an exhaustive ranking. The new signings posted these numbers before arriving.
Williamson and Murphy: two threats to connect
Zion Williamson
Williamson played 62 games last season, averaging 21 points on 60% shooting. Murphy scored 21.5 points per game in 66 appearances, shooting 37.9% from three. One can draw the defence towards the basket, the other can punish help defenders from distance. To make use of that complementarity, the Pelicans will have to decide quickly where each possession begins and when to reverse the ball. Murray can provide organisational relief, while Fears must keep learning how to choose between driving, setting up a teammate and slowing the pace.
18 % of the team's scoring averages
13 % team assist averages
Per-game average ratios for 2025–2026, not official shares of totals. Player and team have different numbers of games; the newcomer may have played for another club.
The projected five and the other options
Our season projection pairs Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson and Derik Queen. It is neither an official starting five nor a guaranteed line-up for the opener. Jones would bring a priority defensive assignment against opposing perimeter players, Queen an interior outlet alongside Williamson. Yves Missi is another option at centre. Fears, Jordan Poole and Mathurin can change the creation and scoring volume with the second unit; Saddiq Bey and Watford widen the combinations on the wings. The depth of profiles above all demands a clear definition of responsibilities when several ball handlers share the floor.
The other rotation options
SNA season projection, not an official starting five or a guaranteed opening-night line-up. Roles and availability are detailed in the text and the dated update.
The three-point shot
2025–2026 averages, all teams combined. Documented selection: minimum of ten games and at least one attempt per game. Red line: club average, 34.7%.
Availability: update as of 15 October 2026
Dejounte Murray · Uncertain (day to day). These statuses relate to preparation and may change. They guarantee neither availability for the opener nor the choice of starting five.
The squad: 20 players
List of 20 players recorded at camp on 15 October 2026. Positions are those on the official roster; versatile players can fill several roles. This snapshot includes depth players and does not prejudge the final roster or minutes.
| Player | Status | Pts | Reb | Ast | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guards | |||||
| Jeremiah Fears | 14.3 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 33 % | |
| Jordan Poole | – | – | – | – | |
| Kobe Bufkin | – | – | – | – | |
| Dejounte Murray | Doubtful | 16.7 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 30.6 % |
| Jaron Pierre Jr. | Newcomer | – | – | – | – |
| Bryce McGowens | – | – | – | – | |
| AJ Johnson | Newcomer | – | – | – | – |
| Forwards and utility players | |||||
| Zion Williamson | 21 | 5.7 | 3.2 | – | |
| Herbert Jones | – | – | – | – | |
| Malik Dia | – | – | – | – | |
| Trendon Watford | Newcomer | – | – | – | – |
| Julian Reese | – | – | – | – | |
| Bennedict Mathurin | Newcomer | – | – | – | – |
| Trey Murphy III | 21.5 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 37.9 % | |
| Saddiq Bey | – | – | – | – | |
| Centres and big men | |||||
| DeAndre Jordan | – | – | – | – | |
| Karlo Matkovic | – | – | – | – | |
| Yves Missi | – | – | – | – | |
| Derik Queen | – | – | – | – | |
No SNA profile available: Jalon Moore (Forward). 2025–2026 averages, all teams combined. “–”: unverified data, or the threshold of ten games and one three-point attempt not met. Camp squad, not the final rotation. Statuses are as at 15 October, with no guarantee for opening night.
Strengths and risks: winning collective possessions
The group has several players capable of attacking the rim and drawing a defensive reaction. Jones's presence also provides an anchor for perimeter assignments. But New Orleans must avoid mistaking a succession of one-on-one duels for a collective offence. Last season ended with 34.7% shooting from three: accuracy and the quality of spacing remain major issues around Williamson and the centres. The defence cannot rest on a single specialist. Effort in transition defence and on the glass will have to back up Mosley's decisions.
The key supports
- Williamson to attack the paint.
- Murphy to stretch the defence.
- Varied creation options.
Areas to work on
- Move from isolation duels to a collective attack.
- Improve the five-man defence.
- Manage the competition between creators.
The ambition: getting back to games that matter
Climbing the standings and returning to the fight for the play-in tournament are realistic goals. It would be premature to turn those hopes into a predicted finish. The season will also offer a read on the development of Fears and Queen: can they stay useful when the veterans run the offence? The Pelicans will need wins, but also recognisable combinations so that they do not reopen the same questions in the spring.
Climbing the standings and getting back into the fight for the play-in tournament are realistic goals.
Roles and pairings will have to turn these ambitions into collective results.
New Orleans will open at home against the Indiana Pacers on 22 October at 1:00 am in Brazzaville. The game is scheduled for 21 October in the United States. The preseason that precedes it does not count towards the regular-season record. Find fixtures and results after that on the SNA NBA calendar.
22 October at 01:00, Brazzaville time · match centre
- The team’s live schedule appears here.
Countdown to tip-off.