New Orleans Pelicans season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
· Yahoo Sports
The New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2026-27 NBA season as perhaps the league's most confounding team. A year after trading a future first-round pick to move up and draft Derik Queen, the Pelicans largely stood pat this offseason after another disappointing record that left them outside the Western Conference postseason picture. The franchise has won just two playoff series since coming to New Orleans in 2002.
There will have to be significant internal improvements for that to change under former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley. The Pelicans were relatively healthy last season, with stars Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey and Zion Williamson each playing at least 62 games. New Orleans is also hoping for a more productive version of guard Dejounte Murray after he played in just 14 games following his return from a torn Achilles.
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Yet Murphy, Bey and Murray have also been mentioned in trade rumors. Pelicans executive VP for basketball operations Joe Dumars has thus far resisted a full-fledged rebuild. How the first portion of this season goes should dictate what direction New Orleans takes around the trade deadline. Then again, many expected the Pelicans to recalibrate after last season went south, and they brought back their core.
Here's a breakdown of the New Orleans Pelicans' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
New Orleans Pelicans offseason review
- Record last season: 26-56 (11th in Western Conference)
- Playoff finish: Did not qualify
- Coach: Jamahl Mosley (1st season)
- 2026-27 title odds: +75000 (per BetMGM)
- Projected record: 34-48
- Offseason grade: D
Key roster additions
- G Benedict Mathurin (free agent signing)
- G Jason Pierre Jr. (No. 58 pick in 2026 NBA Draft)
- F Trendon Watford (free agent signing)
Key roster losses
- G Jordan Hawkins (trade)
- F Micah Peavy (trade)
- F/C Kevon Looney (free agent)
Biggest question entering training camp
Do the Pelicans' veterans fit with their youth?
- The Pelicans won more games late last season when they played veterans at the expense of first-round picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen for a stretch, but it also amplified concerns about the team's roster construction. One confusing offseason later, it's still unclear how Fears fits into the front office's plans after the recent signing of Mathurin, or whether Queen and Williamson can play on the floor together.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
- G Dejounte Murray
- G Saddiq Bey
- G/F Trey Murphy III
- F Herb Jones
- F Zion Williamson
Rotation players
- G Benedict Mathurin
- G Jeremiah Fears
- G Jordan Poole
- F/C Derik Queen
- C Yves Missi
What to expect in 2026-27 season
The Pelicans have enough intriguing talent to compete for a Western Conference play-in berth if the roster is intact for the entire season. But the same was true a year ago when this odd mix of developing young players and veterans without a defined role stumbled to one of the league's worst records. If Williamson isn't capable of being the franchise centerpiece New Orleans envisioned, the Pelicans seem more likely to break this core up than contend for the postseason.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Orleans Pelicans season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
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