<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-bet-jeremiah-fears-replacing-chris-paul');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Pelicans bet on Jeremiah Fears finally replacing Chris Paul');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Why-Pelicans-bet-on-Jeremiah-Fears-finally-replacing-Chris-Paul.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Pelicans bet on Jeremiah Fears finally replacing Chris Paul</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-12T09:34:46-07:00">September 12th, 9:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-12T09:34:46-07:00">September 12th, 9:34am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A void has lingered over the Crescent City like a phantom limb, a persistent ache of what once was when Chris Paul was directing traffic on Poydras Street’s main court. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-espns-f-grade-2025-offseason">New Orleans Pelicans have wandered</a> through a point guard wilderness for the last 14 seasons, cycling through temporary solutions not quite up to the future Hall of Famer’s standard. That is why Joe Dumars decided the foundation of the next era would be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-biggest-jeremiah-fears-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">built with Jeremiah Fears.</a></p><p>The franchise’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6622535/2025/09/12/pelicans-joe-dumars-opening-night-roster/" rel="noopener">search for a floor general</a> to help Zion Williamson has been a series of fleeting experiments (Rajon Rondo/CJ McCollum), injuries (Dejounte Murray/Lonzo Ball), and unmet potential (Dyson Daniels/Kira Lewis Jr). Jrue Holiday was once hyped up as an NBA MVP candidate. Still, the Pelicans rolled the dice once again with the 2025 NBA Draft’s seventh overall pick, selecting the youngest point guard in the prospect pool.</p><p>Thankfully, Fears understands the assignment by all accounts. After talking with a handful of college coaches who schemed against the Oklahoma Sooners last season, several league sources who strolled through the combine, and then following the Summer League experience closely, one thing is clear: The 18-year-old rookie will earn respect from the locker room in a way that sounds similar to Chris Paul’s coming-of-age process.</p><p>In fact, constant communication has been the easiest and most necessary adjustment since joining the Pelicans.</p><p>“I’m just continuing to be vocal,” Fears told ClutchPoints. “You’ve got to lead as a point guard, especially in the NBA, so just continuing to be vocal while trying to learn every single game. Learning my teammates and what positions and spots they like to be in, then trying to put them in those positions.”</p><p>Everyone understands that carrying the weight of postseason expectations while learning to navigate the complexities of professional basketball will be a challenge. Still, as the floor general, leadership is non-negotiable, and Fears is embracing the opportunity to fill in for Dejounte Murray to start the season. That is why the summer’s learning curve has gone far beyond on-court development.</p><p>Chris Paul does not play when it comes to the pregame routine or general readiness to hoop all season. Fears has embraced the professional lifestyle changes required at the NBA level, from the weight room to the kitchen. Questions about the favorite culinary cheat-day treats got a healthy laugh.</p><p>“(I just) eat the right stuff,” explained Fears. “I’m asking the nutritionist about the right stuff to put in your body, down to the calorie intake. It’s about taking your daily vitamins, the recovery shakes, and smoothies.”</p><p>If nothing else, Fears knows how to serve up a delicious answer for the fans. He should help bring a little extra youthful flavor to a locker room as well.</p><h2><b>Jeremiah Fears finding answers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pelicans-news-Jeremiah-Fears-fuels-hype-extremely-bold-prediction.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The adjustment period was rough on the rookie initially, as Fears went 9-of-33 (2-of-11 3PA) with ten turnovers in the first two NBA Las Vegas Summer League games. Those mistakes were barely worth mentioning in the postgame press scrums. Seeing the floor as much as possible and figuring things out on the fly were more important for the Pelicans.</p><p>Pelicans coach Corey Brewer emphasized that the rookie’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsgrzAavFLQ" rel="noopener">improvement was evident</a> from game to game.</p><p>“His decision-making got a lot better (in Las Vegas),” Brewer noted. “From the first two games to the last game, he made a lot better reads. He got guys open shots and is only going to continue to get better. He is only 18 years old, but he made some plays for us.”</p><p>Fears agreed after the last loss, detailing the lessons learned before heading home.</p><p>“It’s learning when to pick your spots, when to take your shot. Got to get your teammates involved. Getting them involved early is going to help you and the team as well,” Fears began. “Really, learning guys are a lot more athletic. So, where to get it off the backboard, how high to get it, to give the ball a better chance to go in.”</p><p>Despite the learning curve, Brewer expressed confidence in how far along Fears is on the expected developmental trajectory.</p><p>“By game 40 or 50 next year,” Brewer predicted, “(Fears) is going to be a totally different player.”</p><p>That work starts well before the formal training camp, according to Brewer.</p><p>“(Fears is) getting better every game. He is learning,” Brewer stressed to ClutchPoints. “He has got to learn how to handle pressure better. It is the little things, but he is going to get better and better this summer. He can look at all the film from all those (NBA Summer League) games and see what he needs to work on.”</p><p>As the Pelicans prepare for the upcoming season, Fears represents a long-term solution to their point guard stability concerns. While growing pains are expected, the rookie’s coachability and mature approach to professional development so far suggest the franchise may have finally found someone to fill Chris Paul’s shoes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Pelicans bet on Jeremiah Fears finally replacing Chris Paul

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sneakers/zion-williamsons-new-voodoo-jordan-zion-4-coming-soon');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Zion-Williamsons-new-Voodoo-Jordan-Zion-4-coming-soon.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-09T13:53:52-07:00">September 9th, 1:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-09T13:54:14-07:00">September 9th, 1:54pm</time><address><a>Dominik Zawartko</a>Dominik Zawartko is a Michigan State graduate with a degree in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominik's hobbies include painting, cooking food, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always having a laugh. His main focus areas are UFC coverage and all things sneakers.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans’ former No. 1-overall pick Zion Williamson is still looking to find his footing as he enters his sixth year in the NBA. Over the last five seasons, Williamson has only been able to appear in 214 games, but the Duke Blue Devil is confident he can live up to his own lofty expectations. Williamson also serves as a face of Jordan Brand, preparing for another “Voodoo” release for his latest <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers/zion-williamson-releases-new-jordan-zion-4-iridescence">Jordan Zion 4</a> sneakers.</p><p><i><b>Check our <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sneakers">Sneakers news</a> for more upcoming releases and breaking content!</b></i></p><p>Zion Williamson signed with Jordan Brand in 2019, shortly after he was drafted to New Orleans with the first overall pick. Shortly after, the Jordan Zion 1 made its debut in 2021 and before we knew it, Williamson was already dropping his fourth signature model in January 2025. As he heads into his latest campaign, we can expect the Jordan Zion 5 to arrive sooner rather than later.</p><p>For now, the Jordan Zion 4 will sport a previously-seen “Voodoo” colorway, paying homage to New Orleans roots and the voodoo roots around the region. Previously appearing on his Jordan 1 Low PE, the “Voodoo” concept will hit the main signature line.</p><h2>Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo”</h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” is releasing on September 20 🧷 <a href="https://t.co/52rQHMTGzY">pic.twitter.com/52rQHMTGzY</a></p><p>— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicekicks/status/1965413769842229350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="in">Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” 🎎<br>📆 September 20th<br>💵 $145 <a href="https://t.co/q93Gwkln6F">pic.twitter.com/q93Gwkln6F</a></p><p>— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SneakerNews/status/1965090512974532775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><br>The “Voodoo” concept, typically characterized by loose stitching and earth-toned canvas materials, officially arrives in <em>Sesame/Gum Light Brown-Black-Flash Crimson </em>for a very clean look. We see the burlap/canvas uppers complete with random stitch marks throughout as the majority of the sneaker remains monochrome. We see a tiny pop of Flash Crimson in the translucent AirZoom unit as the shoes are finished with a gum outsole.</p></figure><p>The Jordan Zion 4 “Voodoo” will release September 20, 2025 for a standard retail tag of $145. The shoes will see a formal drop on Nike <a href="http://nike.com">SNKRS app</a> and should be available at select Jordan Brand retailers in limited quantities.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson’s new ‘Voodoo’ Jordan Zion 4 coming soon

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'New Orleans Pelicans 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Zion-Williamson-hypes-up-the-crowd.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>New Orleans Pelicans 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-04T05:27:06-07:00">September 4th, 5:27am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-04T05:27:06-07:00">September 4th, 5:27am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2025-26 NBA season with an identity crisis, a disoriented fanbase, and a schedule that does them no favors. Coming off a brutal 21-61 campaign, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-bill-simmons-hypes-buzz-about-possible-relocation">Pelicans were desperate for direction</a>, clarity, and some form of stability. Instead, they doubled down on confusion. General manager Joe Dumars and the revamped front office have made moves that many analysts, including ESPN’s Kevin Pelton,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-espns-f-grade-2025-offseason"> have labeled as baffling</a>.</p><p>The drafting of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, along with the trade that cost New Orleans a potentially valuable 2026 pick swap, has created skepticism about the franchise’s long-term vision. Add to that the polarizing acquisition of Jordan Poole and a logjam in the frontcourt with Queen, Kevon Looney, and Zion Williamson, and the Pelicans find themselves staring at a difficult road ahead.</p><p>Yet the beauty of the NBA is its unpredictability. For all the head-scratching decisions, the Pelicans will still take the court 82 times. The question is whether this roster can find any semblance of cohesion and claw its way back into relevance, or whether 2025-26 will be another painful chapter in a franchise history already full of false starts.</p><h2><b>What will the Pelicans’ 2025-26 record be?</b></h2><p>Last season’s <a href="https://www.nba.com/standings" rel="noopener">21-61</a> disaster cannot be ignored. Injuries, poor roster balance, and inconsistency defined New Orleans’ year. The addition of Poole theoretically gives them a dynamic scoring guard, but the downside is enormous. Poole has yet to prove he can be an efficient lead guard on a playoff-caliber team, and pairing him with Zion and a glut of centers raises serious spacing concerns.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Who is YOUR favorite addition to the Pelicans this offseason? <a href="https://t.co/bB05MtY5AZ">pic.twitter.com/bB05MtY5AZ</a></p><p>— Pelicans Lead (@PelicansLead) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansLead/status/1953904294929060004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Pelicans’ schedule is particularly unkind in the early months. By December, New Orleans will have faced contenders like Boston, Denver, Golden State, and Milwaukee multiple times. An inexperienced team with shaky chemistry could quickly fall into another double-digit losing streak. Even against middle-tier opponents such as Dallas or Minnesota, the Pelicans’ lack of defensive identity could be exposed.</p><p>There will be flashes of excitement. Zion, if healthy, remains one of the league’s most dominant interior forces. Meanwhile, Fears could surprise as a rookie guard with poise. But the lack of shooting around the stars and the unclear pecking order will likely sink New Orleans more often than not.</p><p>The prediction: the Pelicans finish with a 25-57 record. That’s a modest four-win improvement from last season, but still firmly at the bottom of the Western Conference.</p><h2><b>Where will the Pelicans land in the West?</b></h2><p>The Western Conference has no mercy for a team in flux. The Nuggets, Timberwolves, Thunder, and Mavericks are firmly in the upper tier. The Suns, Clippers, and Warriors are all in win-now mode. Even rebuilding squads like the Spurs and Jazz appear to have more structure in place than the Pelicans.</p><p>For New Orleans, that means their ceiling is finishing around 13th in the West, above only a team like Portland or Houston if injuries decimate those rosters. The floor is obvious: another last-place finish. Realistically, they’ll land 14th, narrowly avoiding the basement but never sniffing the play-in tournament.</p><h2><b>What are New Orleans’ playoff chances?</b></h2><p>There will be no playoff basketball in New Orleans this season. The play-in cut-off typically requires at least 38-40 wins in the Western Conference, and the Pelicans aren’t remotely close to that level of competitiveness. Even in the most optimistic scenario, Zion stays healthy, Poole rediscovers his Warriors form, and Fears emerges as a rookie standout, New Orleans would struggle to reach 35 wins.</p><p>The playoffs will instead be something the Pelicans watch from afar, yet again asking themselves if this core is worth maintaining.</p><h2>Predictions beyond the court</h2><p>If the season plays out as expected, there will be consequences beyond the standings. Front office and coaching changes are squarely on the horizon.</p><p>Head coach Willie Green has done his best with difficult rosters, but patience could wear thin. Another season with fewer than 30 wins may force Dumars to pull the plug and bring in a new voice. If not midseason, then certainly next summer, Green’s seat will be scorching hot.</p><p>Trades are also inevitable. Kevon Looney could also be shipped out if the frontcourt rotation becomes unmanageable.</p><p>There’s also a real chance Jordan Poole himself becomes trade bait. If he flames out in New Orleans and continues to play inefficient basketball, the Pelicans may look to cut bait sooner rather than later. Ironically, the very player they are “betting on” could be their quickest departure.</p><h2><b>What are the potential awards or bright spots?</b></h2><p>The Pelicans are unlikely to produce award winners this year, but there are slivers of hope worth mentioning. Jeremiah Fears could sneak into the Rookie of the Year conversation if given steady minutes, particularly if he’s trusted to stabilize the backcourt when Poole struggles. Derik <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-biggest-derik-queen-concern-2025-nba-summer-league-injury">Queen, despite the skepticism</a> surrounding his selection, has the tools to carve out a solid rookie campaign as a rebounder and interior scorer.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What does Zion Williamson need to work on in the offseason? <a href="https://t.co/ZDzNGtLeF5">pic.twitter.com/ZDzNGtLeF5</a></p><p>— Pelicans Lead (@PelicansLead) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansLead/status/1933962644463014380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">Zion remains the only true candidate</a> for leaguewide recognition. If he stays healthy, which has always been the biggest “if” in the NBA, he could find himself in the All-Star mix again. But that requires him to play at least 60 games, a mark he has rarely reached.</p><h2><b>The long-term picture</b></h2><p>The harsh truth is that the Pelicans’ long-term outlook looks bleaker now than it did a year ago. The loss of the 2026 pick swap to Atlanta could haunt them for years, particularly if the Bucks falter and the Pelicans themselves remain near the bottom of the standings. In essence, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">New Orleans may have sacrificed</a> a premium draft asset for a redundant big man in Derik Queen.</p><p>The Zion question also looms. How many more seasons of underachievement can the franchise endure before considering the unthinkable trading its franchise cornerstone? That scenario isn’t likely this season, but every year of mediocrity edges them closer to that possibility.</p><h2><b>Is this a season of limited hope for the Pelicans?</b></h2><p>The New Orleans Pelicans enter 2025-26 not as a playoff threat, but as a team wandering through another year of uncertainty. A predicted record of 25-57 feels generous given the roster’s flaws, and a 14th-place finish in the West would represent marginal progress at best. Without playoff hopes, the season will be defined by the growth of rookies like Fears and Queen, the health of Zion, and the potential reshuffling of the roster through trades.</p><p>What makes this prediction particularly disheartening is that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-rival-teams-pelicans-fing-idiots-charge">Pelicans had opportunities to chart a clearer course</a>. Instead, their offseason decisions compounded existing issues, leaving fans skeptical and analysts unimpressed. For a franchise desperate for stability, the coming season may only reinforce the perception that New Orleans is stuck in the mud.</p><p>The 2025-26 season won’t be about championships or even contention. It will be about survival, assessment, and the painful process of deciding what the future should look like in the Big Easy.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

New Orleans Pelicans 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jose-alvarado-stretchered-off-court-scary-fall-americup');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado stretchered off court after scary fall in AmeriCup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-Jose-Alvarado-dribbling.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado stretchered off court after scary fall in AmeriCup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-29T08:04:53-07:00">August 29th, 8:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-29T08:04:53-07:00">August 29th, 8:04am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado <a href="https://x.com/leviluna21/status/1961258694173204909" rel="noopener">suffered an injury</a> after a scary fall in Puerto Rico’s AmeriCup game on Thursday night against Argentina. After appearing to suffer some sort of lower back or tailbone injury, Alvarado was in serious pain and could not get up off the court on his own.</p><p>Alvarado was attended to on the ground for several minutes before he was removed from the arena for further testing on a stretcher.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="es"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmeriCup2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmeriCup2025</a> 🏀 Nuestro José Alvarado tiene que salir del partido contra Argentina tras una fuerte caída en el tiempo extra.</p><p>¡Pronta recuperación, campeón! 🙏🇵🇷</p><p>Pendientes a <a href="https://t.co/pj7ONbpWIu">https://t.co/pj7ONbpWIu</a> y <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WapaDeportes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WapaDeportes</a> para más detalles. <a href="https://t.co/mV5Ia1MpTl">pic.twitter.com/mV5Ia1MpTl</a></p><p>— #WAPADeportes (@wapadeportes) <a href="https://twitter.com/wapadeportes/status/1961258820971254042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The good news for the Pelicans and their 27-year-old guard is that he later <a href="https://x.com/WillGuillory/status/1961287136038031607" rel="noopener">posted on Instagram</a> that he was fine.</p><p>“Appreciate the love, y’all,” Alvarado said in his post. “But your boy good. God got me.”</p><p>In a tight overtime game, Alvarado drove hard to the right side of the rim and missed a floater. He immediately got tied up with Argentina’s Juan Fernandez while battling for the rebound, and he fell backwards while attempting to keep the ball in play.</p><p>As Argentina pushed the tempo off the turnover, Alvarado rolled on the ground in immense pain, holding his lower back and tailbone area.</p><p>Alvarado, who is entering his fifth NBA season with the Pelicans, has struggled to remain healthy and available for his team throughout the years.</p><p>He has never played in more than 61 games in a single season during his NBA tenure, and Alvarado played only 56 games during the 2024-25 season <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jose-alvarado-hamstring-injury">due to multiple injuries</a>, specifically to his hamstring and calf.</p><p>For his career, Alvarado has averaged 8.2 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 34.8 percent from 3-point range with the Pelicans. Alvarado’s defensive intensity and hard-nosed style of play make him a key contributor on New Orleans’ bench.</p><p>Multiple teams have inquired about Alvarado’s trade availability through the years, but the Pelicans have valued his leadership and energy in their second unit. As a result, the team awarded Alvarado with a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-agrees-to-9-million-extension-jose-alvarado">two-year, $9 million contract last September</a>.</p><p>That contract begins during the 2025-26 season, and he will make $4.5 million before having a player option for the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Alvarado is expected to hold a key role for the Pelicans to begin the 2025-26 season. Even after trading for Jordan Poole and drafting Jeremiah Fears with the seventh pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Alvarado has a path to playing key minutes while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-dunking-surgery">Dejounte Murray continues to recover from his Achilles injury.</a></p><p>While Pelicans fans and the front office alike collectively held their breath, worried about Alvarado’s injury on Thursday night, he appears to be fine and shouldn’t miss any time with the NBA preseason right around the corner.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado stretchered off court after scary fall in AmeriCup

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/gaming/new-orleans-pelicans-nba-2k26-ratings-that-are-100-wrong');   ga('set', 'title', 'New Orleans Pelicans NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/New-Orlean-Pelicans-NBA-2K26-ratings-that-are-100-wrong-.jpg"></figure><h1>New Orleans Pelicans NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T06:05:41-07:00">August 27th, 6:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T06:05:41-07:00">August 27th, 6:05am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans had one of the strangest offseasons in the NBA. After drafting Jeremiah Fears and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-biggest-derik-queen-concern-2025-nba-summer-league-injury">trading up for Derik Queen, the Pelicans</a> also made the headline move of acquiring Jordan Poole to shake up their backcourt. Despite those moves, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton graded the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-espns-f-grade-2025-offseason">Pelicans’ offseason an “F”</a>, and strangely, NBA 2K26 seems to agree with the skepticism.</p><p>Examining the player ratings, the Pelicans have one of the most perplexing rosters in the game. Several stars are criminally underrated, while role players are graded as if they’ve already hit ceilings they may never actually reach. Here’s a breakdown of five players whose ratings are flat-out wrong.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson: Underrating his impact at 87 OVR</b></h2><p>Zion <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans">Williamson enters NBA 2K26</a> with an 87 overall rating, and while that sounds solid, it’s actually far too low for a player of his caliber. When Zion is healthy, he’s one of the most dominant interior scorers in the NBA. His 93 dunk rating is fair, but his offensive influence extends beyond highlight dunks. Last season, Zion averaged over <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629627" rel="noopener">24 points per game</a> on elite efficiency, showcasing improved passing and decision-making.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">#1 pick vs #1 pick 💪</p><p>Pels play the Spurs in the home opener on Oct. 24 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/tuGtQRmVKk">pic.twitter.com/tuGtQRmVKk</a></p><p>— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1957526440502493623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The issue isn’t his game; it’s his availability. However, 2K shouldn’t penalize players with lower ratings solely because of their injury history. Zion should at least be at 90 or 91 overall, putting him in line with other young stars like Anthony Edwards and Ja Morant. Giving him an 87 suggests he’s merely a fringe All-Star, when in reality, he’s one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the league when he’s on the floor.</p><h2><b>Trey Murphy III: Selling him short at 82 OVR</b></h2><p>Trey Murphy III is one of the most underrated players in the league, and 2K26 somehow undersells him even further. His 82 overall rating doesn’t reflect his all-around growth as a scorer, defender, and athletic threat. Murphy shot lights out from three, with an 84 3PT rating in-game that seems accurate, but his ability to slash, defend multiple positions, and provide secondary scoring makes him more than just a role player.</p><p>An 85 overall rating would make far more sense, given his breakout trajectory. Instead, 2K lumps him in with borderline starters, which undersells how valuable he’s become as New Orleans’ second-best scoring option behind Zion.</p><h2><b>Jordan Poole: Maybe too generous at 81 OVR</b></h2><p>One of the strangest ratings on this roster belongs to Jordan Poole. After a disastrous 2024-25 season in Washington, Poole was traded to New Orleans with the hope of revitalizing his career. His 81 overall rating feels overly optimistic, especially when you look at his real-life production: poor efficiency, defensive struggles, and turnovers plagued him.</p><p>Yes, his 81 three-point rating matches his streaky scoring ability, but giving him the same overall as defensive ace Herbert Jones and two-way guard Dejounte Murray makes no sense. Poole should realistically be around a 78 or 79, reflecting his need to re-establish himself as a winning contributor.</p><h2><b>Dejounte Murray: Far too low at 81 OVR</b></h2><p>If there’s one Pelicans guard who should be getting more respect in 2K26, it’s Dejounte Murray. At 81 overall, he’s rated the same as Jordan Poole, and that’s simply wrong. Murray remains one of the best two-way guards in the league, capable of handling the ball, playmaking, and defending at a high level. His 79 three-point rating also doesn’t fully capture his steady improvement as a shooter.</p><p>This is a player who averaged over 20 points per game alongside Trae Young in Atlanta before arriving in New Orleans. To slot him as an 81 while Poole gets the same number is a clear mistake. Murray should realistically be closer to an 84 overall, given his defensive impact and proven ability to carry stretches of offense.</p><h2><b>Yves Missi: Way too high at 80 OVR</b></h2><p>The most confusing rating on the entire Pelicans roster belongs to rookie Yves Missi. While the Cameroonian big man has potential as a rim protector and rebounder, giving him an 80 overall rating as a rookie makes no sense. By comparison, far more established big men in the league are rated in that range, and Missi hasn’t even proven himself in an NBA game yet.</p><p>With a 30 three-point rating and an 80 dunk rating, 2K clearly values his physical tools, but giving him a higher rating than veterans like Kevon Looney (77) or even promising young guard Jordan Hawkins (75) is baffling. Missi should realistically start in the 74-75 range until he proves his ability against NBA competition.</p><h2><b>Where 2K missed the mark on New Orleans</b></h2><p>The Pelicans are one of the NBA’s most unpredictable teams, and maybe that explains why 2K26’s ratings are all over the place. Still, it’s clear that the developers missed the mark with multiple players:</p><p>For fans of New Orleans, that means you’ll have to tweak sliders or player ratings yourself if you want a truly authentic MyNBA or online experience. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with a version of the Pelicans that simply doesn’t match reality.</p><p>The Pelicans’ roster is already a puzzle after their confusing offseason, but the NBA 2K26 ratings only add to the chaos. Jordan Poole is inexplicably valued as a borderline star despite recent struggles. Meanwhile, Trey Murphy III is massively underrated.</p><p>The truth is, these ratings don’t reflect the current state of the Pelicans. They paint a picture of a balanced team where multiple players hover in the 80s, but the actual roster is far more volatile, filled with question marks, inconsistencies, and a few bright young standouts.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

New Orleans Pelicans NBA 2K26 ratings that are 100% wrong

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-espn-votes-zion-williamson-most-likely-star-request-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-25T11:17:08-07:00">August 25th, 11:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-26T06:36:31-07:00">August 26th, 6:36am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-espns-f-grade-2025-offseason">New Orleans Pelicans have had</a> quite the interesting offseason, trading CJ McCollum and bringing back Jordan Poole, as well as trading a potentially highly valuable 2026 first round pick in order to draft Derik Queen. Making that move even more puzzling is the fact that Queen plays the same position and has many of the same strengths and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans">weaknesses as Zion Williamson,</a> who was once thought to be the franchise cornerstone but has proven unavailable to stay on the floor.</p><p>However, one possibility is that Williamson gets traded at some point in the near future, which would open up the door for Queen to fill that role. In fact, ESPN recently voted Williamson as <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46030771/nba-predictions-summer-forecast-2025-2026-turnarounds-turbulent-teams-biggest-questions" rel="noopener">the number one star</a> in the NBA most likely to request a trade this year. Williamson got 10 votes in the poll, followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo with seven, LeBron James with six, Ja Morant with one and Trae Young with one.</p><p>“If Williamson can have a strong start to the season — and avoid the injury bug that has plagued his career — it’s feasible that he could seek a fresh start instead of remaining with a New Orleans franchise that seems stuck in neutral,” wrote NBA insider Tim McMahon on ESPN.com.</p><p>He also added that “Williamson’s stay in New Orleans might have been extended by the Pelicans’ front office change, with Joe Dumars replacing David Griffin as the primary decision-maker.”</p><h2><b>A new era in New Orleans?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Williamson-vs-the-Timberwolves.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Indeed, the Pelicans brought in Joe Dumars this year to be the team’s new decision-maker and Dumars wasted no time in stirring up controversy, primarily with the 2026 draft pick he gave up to draft Queen. That choice means that the more favorable of either the Pelicans’ or the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2026 pick will be headed to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>When healthy, Williamson remains one of the toughest covers in the NBA, but fans in New Orleans have all but given up on the hopes of ever seeing Williamson put together a full season of consistent basketball.</p><p>If he were to request a trade, it would certainly be interesting to see what the market looks like for Williamson at this stage of his career.</p><p>The Pelicans are slated to kick off their 2025-26 season on October 22 against the Memphis Grizzlies.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

ESPN votes Pelicans’ Zion Williamson as most likely star to request trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-warriors-spurs-interested-trey-murphy-iii-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-guard-Trey-Murphy-III.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-22T11:23:40-07:00">August 22nd, 11:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-23T08:56:24-07:00">August 23rd, 8:56am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After the New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-former-nba-champion-contract">Pelicans signed Jaden Springer to the final spot</a> on their 15-man roster, they could be on the verge of moving Trey Murphy III amid reported interest from the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. Coming off the first 20-plus-point season of his four-year career with the Pelicans, Murphy III blossomed into an efficient scorer in 2024-25. He averaged 21.2 points on 45.4% shooting, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.</p><p>Ahead of next season, Murphy has piqued the Warriors and Spurs’ <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/jake-fischer-latest-jonathan-kuminga?utm_campaign=email-post&amp;r=3shtjf&amp;utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">interest</a>, according to The Stein Line’s NBA insider, Jake Fischer.</p><p>“Sources say that the Warriors have a strong affinity for Murphy and have made outreach to New Orleans as recently as this summer,” Fischer reported. “Yet sources say that the Pelicans, to be clear, have batted away calls for the 25-year-old, valuing him highly. The two-way forward will be playing on a contract in 2025-26 — at precisely $25 million — as desirable as his talent. Another team known to have registered trade interest in Murphy, sources say, is San Antonio.”</p><p>After inking a four-year, $112 million extension, the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III proved he was worth the investment last season when his scoring spiked from 14.8 points on 44.3% shooting. The 2021 17th overall pick also improved his defense while connecting on 36.1% three-point shooting, which is the kind of combination the Warriors and Spurs would appreciate in their respective backcourt.</p><h2><b>Dejounte Murray dunking ahead of 2025-26 campaign</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>After the Pelicans signed Jaden Springer, their starting guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-dunking-surgery">Dejounte Murray posted a video of himself dunking</a> on social media. Murray, one of the many NBA players to suffer a torn Achilles in 2024-25, showcased his progress nearly seven months after he suffered the injury on January 31 against the Celtics.</p><p>Murray <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079/" rel="noopener">posted the clip of his dunk</a> on his X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“6 MONTHS AND THIS SH*T FEEL LIGHT!!!,” Murray said. “I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few!!!”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">6 MONTHS AND THIS SH*T FEEL LIGHT!!! 😁 I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few!!! 😤😈 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DM5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DM5</a>🖤 <a href="https://t.co/PuThC0u386">pic.twitter.com/PuThC0u386</a></p><p>— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Murray, who the Hawks traded away ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, was looking forward to a fresh start with the Pelicans. Seeing him go above the rim months before training camp is an encouraging sign for Pelicans fans. Still, the front office acquired some insurance in signing Springer to a nonguaranteed deal.</p><p>Springer appeared in a total of 17 games, including two starts, for the Jazz at a little over 13 minutes per game. He averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists with splits of 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 70.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-dunking-surgery');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray already dunking 6 months after surgery');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray-2.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray already dunking 6 months after surgery</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-20T17:37:39-07:00">August 20th, 5:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-20T19:38:27-07:00">August 20th, 7:38pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The 2024-25 season was mired by injuries for the New Orleans Pelicans. Several key players missed time due to injuries, and the team opted to move in a different direction following the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-pelicans-trade-brandon-ingram-nba-deadline">in-season trade of Brandon Ingram</a>, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-cj-mccollum-hilarious-first-tweet-since-blockbuster-trade">offseason trade of CJ McCollum</a>, two of the longest tenured players on the roster. One player who is still with the Pelicans is Dejounte Murray, who recently showed off <a href="https://x.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079" rel="noopener">a video of himself</a> throwing down a dunk as he continues his injury recovery.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">6 MONTHS AND THIS SH*T FEEL LIGHT!!! 😁 I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few!!! 😤😈 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DM5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DM5</a>🖤 <a href="https://t.co/PuThC0u386">pic.twitter.com/PuThC0u386</a></p><p>— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The video was accompanied by the caption, “6 MONTHS AND THIS S**T FEEL LIGHT!!! I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few.”</p><p>In his first season with the Pelicans, Dejounte Murray suffered a season-ending Achilles injury back in January, with the dunk being a good sign in his continued recovery. Murray was originally acquired by the Pelicans in an offseason trade with the Atlanta Hawks prior to the start of the 2024-25 season.</p><p>Prior to Murray suffering the Achilles injury, he had missed 17 games due to a broken hand he sustained after the first game of the season. He made his return to the court on Nov. 27, only to suffer the Achilles injury on Jan. 31 after playing only eight minutes against the Boston Celtics.</p><p>Murray’s first season with the Pelicans was limited to only 31 games at a little over 32 minutes per game. He averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.0 steals with splits of 39.3 percent shooting from the field, 29.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 82.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Now heading into his eight year in the NBA, Murray was originally selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He played five seasons for the Spurs before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 2022-23 season. He spent two seasons with the Hawks before they shipped him to the Pelicans. During the 2021-22 season, his final with the Spurs, Murray was selected to the All-Star team.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray already dunking 6 months after surgery

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-newest-teammate-is-jaden-mcdaniels-brother');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Pelicans-Zion-Williamson-.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-18T08:36:03-07:00">August 18th, 8:36am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-18T08:36:03-07:00">August 18th, 8:36am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-former-nba-champion-contract">Pelicans are adding to their roster</a> late in the offseason, and it’s forward depth that <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1957427366650630266" rel="noopener">could help the team</a>, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.</p><p>“Free agent forward Jalen McDaniels has agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. McDaniels has averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds over six NBA seasons,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>McDaniels is the older brother of Jaden McDaniels, who is currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jalen was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, as he enters his seventh season in the league. He played with the Hornets for three seasons, and then was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in his fourth year.</p><p>Last season, he signed a 10-day contract with the Washington Wizards.</p><p>The Pelicans have much-needed size on their roster, and McDaniels adds to that. He can defend and also knock down 3-pointers, and he can be a good player off the bench. This will be an interesting season for the Pelicans, as they have some new pieces on the team. The success of the team will hinge on what Zion Williamson is able to do, and if he can stay healthy.</p><h2><b>Pelicans still believe in Zion Williamson</b></h2><p>With the talent the Pelicans added to the team, the hope is that it’s enough for them to be better than they were last season. Another thing that the Pelicans are banking on is Williamson being healthy, and he could be the player who makes the biggest difference for them.</p><p>There were trade rumors surrounding Williamson during the offseason, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">a Pelicans executive shared</a> that they still believe in him.</p><p>“Zion is still our guy,” the executive said. “If he wasn’t, we could have waived him for like nothing on the books. We could have reset everything. But we believe in Zion. He wants to make it work, and so do we. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.”</p><p>When Williamson is healthy, he’s one of the best young players in the league. He only played 30 games last season, but he averaged 24.67 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. If the Pelicans can get that type of production from him for 70+ games, they could exceed the expectations that many have put on them for the upcoming season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson’s newest Pelcians’ teammate is Jaden McDaniels’ brother

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-photo-fans-new-orleans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-13T07:19:29-07:00">August 13th, 7:19am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-13T08:28:34-07:00">August 13th, 8:28am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The future of the lowly New Orleans Pelicans is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-zion-williamson-is-still-new-orleans-guy">very much on the shoulders of Zion Williamson</a>. GM Joe Dumars <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-shares-clear-demand-for-zion-williamson-as-franchise-face">expects Williamson to be the face of the franchise</a>.</p><p>However, he’s faced criticisms of a perceived lack of dedication. Those critiques resurfaced with a recent photo of Williamson living it up, per Legion Hoops.</p><p>“Zion Williamson enjoying summer” the caption read. It shows Williamson at a summer party with fans <a href="https://x.com/DuffyBag5/status/1955078562152845658">chiming in with their concerns</a> about his priorities.</p><p>“Pelicans are COOKED” @DuffyBag5 posted on X. Another user <a href="https://x.com/Navidr9/status/1955133436668133383" rel="noopener">boldly predicts</a> the best will never come.</p><p>“Yea this guy will probably never reach his potential sadly” @Navidr9 said on X.</p><p>One other fan <a href="https://x.com/DanielWoodward/status/1955317809321255264" rel="noopener">jokingly referenced</a> Luka Doncic, who recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-slovenian-tv-claims-luka-doncic-lost-31-pounds">lost a considerable amount of weight</a>.</p><p>“We found where Lukas weight went.” @DanielWoodward posted on X.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Zion Williamson enjoying summer</p><p>(h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/big_business_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@big_business_</a>) <a href="https://t.co/vkTtK2ZcrZ">pic.twitter.com/vkTtK2ZcrZ</a></p><p>— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/1955078022551240900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Williamson has faced a considerable amount of mockery for not being in tip top shape. Last year, he<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-carmelo-anthony-hits-zion-williamsons-weight-loss-with-reality-check"> lost plenty of weight prior to the start of the season</a>, which garnered praise from NBA legend Carmelo Anthony.</p><p>Additionally, Williamson averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. The Pelicans finished the year at 21-61.</p><p>While the team floundered, Williamson put up some considerably decent numbers. But does putting in position to carry the franchise a real risk/reward?</p><h2><b>Can Zion Williamson be the face for the Pelicans?</b></h2><p>It’s understandable as to why the Pelicans lament Williamson. On a good day, he is one of the most talented players and has the potential to be even greater.</p><p>However, he is notorious for experiencing a rash of injuries. Last December, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-definitive-injury-timeline-practice-return">Williamson suffered a hamstring injury</a> which forced him to miss 27 games.</p><p>Furthermore, some off the court issues have called into question the nature of his character. In May, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Williamson was accused of rape</a> in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. A Jane Doe claimed that she and Williamson began dating in 2018 when he was at Duke.</p><p>She says he sexually assaulted her in September 2020 in his home in Beverly Hills, California. The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson assaulted her again in October 2020.</p><p>Williamson, through his legal team, <a href="https://x.com/WillGuillory/status/1928520188581863529">denied the accusations</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson summer photo has fans thinking Pelicans are ‘cooked’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/early-new-orleans-pelicans-trade-candidates-2025-26-season');   ga('set', 'title', '3 way-too-early New Orleans Pelicans trade candidates in 2025-26 season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/X-way-too-early-New-Orleans-Pelicans-trade-candidates-in-2025-26-season.jpg"></figure><h1>3 way-too-early New Orleans Pelicans trade candidates in 2025-26 season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-08T04:54:23-07:00">August 8th, 4:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-08T04:54:23-07:00">August 8th, 4:54am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After years of injury setbacks, questionable roster building, and a turbulent front-office overhaul, the New Orleans Pelicans have entered the 2025–26 season with both <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-perfect-move-2025-nba-offseason">urgency and uncertainty</a>. The appointment of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-hire-joe-dumars-after-firing-david-griffin">Joe Dumars as President of Basketball Operations</a> and Troy Weaver as General Manager signaled a willingness to make aggressive moves. But the aggressive win-now tone of the offseason has been undercut by a lack of cohesion in the long-term plan.</p><p>The Pelicans’ summer was marked by a polarizing draft-day trade that saw them leap from the No. 23 pick to No. 13 at the cost of a future unprotected pick, a move that left rival executives baffled. Their biggest veteran move was trading CJ McCollum’s expiring deal for Jordan Poole’s inefficient, big-money contract. All the while, Zion Williamson’s health remains uncertain, and the team is still figuring out how to surround its young core, headlined by Trey Alexander, Herb Jones, and Yves Missi, with the right complementary pieces.</p><p>That reality makes it inevitable that New Orleans will explore in-season trades. The 2025-26 roster has a handful of players whose roles, skill sets, or contract situations make them potential trade candidates. Below, we examine three such names: Elfrid Payton, Keion Brooks Jr., and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.</p><h2><b>Elfrid Payton: The veteran stopgap without a path forward</b></h2><p>Elfrid Payton’s return to the Pelicans was more about veteran insurance than long-term vision. At 31, Payton is a pass-first guard with years of starting experience, known for steady ball handling and defensive hustle. In theory, his presence provides a safeguard against injury to the younger backcourt players. In practice, Payton’s limited shooting range and declining quickness make him a challenging fit in today’s high-paced, spacing-driven NBA.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Elfrid Payton is the ultimate DIME DROPPER! 💯</p><p>The former NBA vet was called up to the <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> and averaged 8.1 APG with a career-high 21 AST in just his third game. He ended the season with 10+ AST in seven of his final ten games. <a href="https://t.co/sEbANknXSn">pic.twitter.com/sEbANknXSn</a></p><p>— NBA G League (@nbagleague) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1940801557035209051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>For a team trying to develop Trey Alexander and maximize the offensive freedom of Jordan Poole, Payton’s minutes are likely to be minimal. His skill set overlaps with the responsibilities the Pelicans hope Alexander will embrace, and keeping him on the bench in case of emergency isn’t an optimal use of a roster spot for a team flirting with the tax line.</p><p>From a trade perspective, Payton’s expiring veteran-minimum contract is easy to move. He could be part of a minor deal to bring in a more versatile bench shooter or defensive wing. Contenders in need of emergency point guard depth, particularly teams with injury-prone stars, could see him as a low-cost midseason acquisition. For the Pelicans, moving him would open a spot for a younger developmental player while aligning with their ongoing roster shuffle.</p><h2><b>Keion Brooks Jr.: The developmental wing caught in a numbers game</b></h2><p>Keion Brooks Jr. came into the league as an intriguing forward prospect, boasting positional size (6-foot-7), rebounding tenacity, and flashes of scoring versatility from his college days at Kentucky and Washington. In New Orleans, however, the logjam at the wing has made it hard for Brooks to carve out consistent minutes.</p><p>With Herb Jones entrenched as a defensive cornerstone, Trey Alexander slotting in as a long-term backcourt piece, Brooks’ role is minimal. Brooks is still on a team-friendly deal, which makes him appealing to rebuilding squads looking for an inexpensive player with upside. His rebounding and slashing ability could also draw interest from playoff teams seeking an injection of energy off the bench.</p><p>For the Pelicans, trading Brooks could be a way to rebalance the roster, potentially swapping him for a stretch big or an experienced combo guard. The key is recognizing that his development timeline doesn’t neatly align with the franchise’s current “push now” posture under Dumars.</p><h2><b>Jeremiah Robinson-Earl: The tweener forward without a defined role</b></h2><p>Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is a versatile forward who can toggle between the four and small-ball five, bringing defensive versatility and spot-up shooting. On paper, he should be a great fit next to Zion Williamson, a mobile big who can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions. In reality, his role has been inconsistent due to frontcourt congestion.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">the worst +/- in a game in NBA history now belongs to Jeremiah Robinson-Earl <a href="https://t.co/jNnam2cBaP">pic.twitter.com/jNnam2cBaP</a></p><p>— 𝙎𝙠𝙮𝙚𝙙 🇦🇺 (@SkyedOKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyedOKC/status/1910878832451821835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Pelicans have Kevon Looney for small-ball minutes, Jonas Valančiūnas to anchor the paint, and younger bigs they’d like to develop. Robinson-Earl’s minutes get squeezed, and without a clearly defined rotational niche, he risks becoming an afterthought in the nightly lineup.</p><p>His <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/74139/jeremiah-robinson-earl" rel="noopener">$2-3 million contract is affordable and movable</a>, making him an easy inclusion in trade packages. For playoff teams needing depth in the frontcourt, particularly those valuing switchable defenders, Robinson-Earl could be a plug-and-play option.</p><p>If Dumars wants to maximize Zion’s effectiveness, he might prioritize acquiring a pure stretch five or a more dynamic rim protector in exchange for Robinson-Earl. Given the Pelicans’ roster construction, moving him before the deadline might be more of a necessity than a choice.</p><h2>The bigger picture</h2><p>The Pelicans’ 2025-26 season is shaping up to be a test of both patience and decisiveness. They have a blend of intriguing youth, established stars, and questionable contracts, but the synergy between those elements is still missing.</p><p>Elfrid Payton, Keion Brooks Jr., and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl each occupy very different positions on the roster spectrum, from seasoned veteran to raw prospect to rotation-ready tweener. But all three share one thing in common: their departure could help New Orleans retool for the present without completely mortgaging the future.</p><p>The question is whether Dumars will act early, taking advantage of their trade value before roles diminish and leverage evaporates. In a Western Conference as competitive as ever, waiting too long could mean another year of wasted potential and what-ifs for a franchise that’s already run out of excuses.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 way-too-early New Orleans Pelicans trade candidates in 2025-26 season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-makes-successful-move-on-former-suns-asset');   ga('set', 'title', 'New Orleans Pelicans makes successful move on former Suns asset');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hopkins.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>New Orleans Pelicans makes successful move on former Suns asset</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-04T23:36:08-07:00">August 4th, 11:36pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-04T23:36:08-07:00">August 4th, 11:36pm</time><address><a>Miguel La Torre</a>Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he's now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons. Miguel is also a proud Utah Jazz believer, a passionate Manchester United and Real Madrid supporter, and loyal Novak Djokovic fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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Pelicans News: Get the latest New Orleans Pelicans news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Pelicans News

Why Pelicans bet on Jeremiah Fears finally replacing Chris Paul

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