New Orleans Pelicans
The 2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans can be defined by overcoming a 3-16 start and winning both play-in games to make the playoffs.
What did we learn?
The Pelicans were left for dead.
Beginning the season 1-12 and 3-16, the Pellies were written off by almost everybody.
There were signs that this team wasn’t as bad as their first quarter of the season record indicated. Like the fact that when Brandon Ingram played and played well, the Pelicans were competitive. In the 42 games this season that Brandon Ingram played and scored at least 17 points, the Pelicans were 27-15. In the other 40 games? The Pelicans went 9-31.
Without Zion, Ingram had to carry the Pelicans. He was explosive, deliberate and confident in getting to his spots and going to work. He continued to look like a poor man’s Kevin Durant while expanding his all-around game. Ingram averaged a career-high 5.6 assists, and he was abundantly better on defense.
Trading for CJ McCollum was a breath of the freshest air for Ingram, who finally had a professional scorer alongside him, easing the burden and pushing this team’s ceiling higher. McCollum wasted no time in ‘Nawlins doing what he does best: getting buckets. In 26 games in a Pelicans uniform, McCollum averaged a career-high 24.3 points per game to go along with 5.6 assists and 54% shooting on 2s. (39% from 3 on 6.9 attempts was also nice.)
When Ingram missed 10 straight games in March, the Pelicans were able to go 4-6. The Pels record without BI before CJ’s arrival was 2-12.
Also picked up in the trade for CJ, Tony Snell was a welcomed addition (yes, Tony Snell), and Larry Nance Jr.’s presence once he made his Pelicans debut in late-March was also felt in a very positive way. For the first four months of the season, the Pelicans bench was absolutely dreadful, 6th-worst in the NBA in terms of net rating. But over the final two months of the season after the trade deadline? The Pelicans bench was 7th-best in net rating. Quite the upswing.
Everyone talked a lot of shit about the man calling the shots here in David Griffin (including this here blog), but he sure turned things around and turned things around fast. It wasn’t just that mid-season trade, but it was also the offseason trade that unloaded Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe, bringing in Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte’ Graham.
And the rookies, man. The rookies were fantastic!
Herb Jones (not on Herb!) was a defensive mastermind, third in the entire NBA in total steals. We felt as though Herb should have made an All-Defense team (he was that good), but at least he did make second-team All-Rookie.
Jose Alvarado is the NBA’s newest and most relentless and fun pest, always mixing it up. From WHO HE!? to a four-year $6.5 million contract, what a glow up for Grand Theft Alvarado!
Trey Murphy III was the rookie we sang the praises of in the preseason, and he didn’t play a lot initially, but then really came on strong. Over the last month of the season, Murphy had five games with three or more made 3-pointers, including a ridiculous game of making 7-of-12 on 3-pointers against the Hornets.
After the trade deadline, the Pelicans had the 7th-best offense and 12th-best defense in the NBA, improving from 25th and 19th.
The Pelicans beat the Spurs and then the Clippers to survive the play-in and get the 8-seed. And then we looked up to see Brandon Ingram flanked down the stretch in the 4th quarter of a playoff game by Herb Jones, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance, all players who weren’t on the Pelicans roster a season ago. You really do have to tip your cap to Griff.
Kudos are also due to Willie Green, a rookie head coach, who rallied these troops in a big way. His “you gotta fight!” speech in the 4th quarter against the Clippers in the play-in was run-through-a-brick-wall motivating.
The Pelicans gave the Suns a run for their money in the first round. Most everybody anticipated a sweep. Nobody expected a 6-game series.
There was still a Zion-sized dark cloud hovering over Smoothie King Center all season long. Big Z never played a single game. And his upcoming rookie-extension situation looms even larger.
But the Pelicans proved this season that they are capable of flying without him.
Just imagine the possibilities with Zanos.
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Additional Notes
Jonas Valanciunas was a rock on the interior for the Pellies all year, putting up 18 and 11 while anchoring the defense.
Devonte' Graham led the Pelicans in total made 3-pointers by an incredible margin. His 192 threes were more than double the next guy on the list, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was sent packing with Josh Hart and Tomas Satoransky in the trade for CJ.
After a stumbling start, Jaxson Hayes had a glistening end to the season, rim-running and shot-blocking his way to a spot in the playoff rotation.
Willy Hernangomez was a positive contributor off the bench, adding in some offense where Jaxson Hayes did not for a while.
Somebody who was NOT a positive contributor off the bench despite getting a lot of minutes was Garrett Temple. Temple even started 16 games (gasp). It was so nice when he stopped getting playing time after the All-Star Break. Temple finished the season with an overall plus-minus of -326, a bottom-15 mark in the entire league.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Honestly, we didn’t really consider taking the Over here at all. Under 38.5 wins.
Pelicans 2021-22 record: (36-46)
Yes! But it ended up being close.
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What’s Next?
The #8 pick in the draft from the Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade. The Pelicans own pick at #15 goes to Charlotte from the Devonte’ Graham 3-team mega sign-and-trade. At #8, KOC has suggested Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis and Dyson Daniels of the G League. Another guard with good on-ball defense would be helpful.
Per ESPN’s cap-guru Bobby Marks: “The Pelicans return 14 players under contract and are $2.2 million below the luxury tax when accounting for the cap hold for the Lakers' first-round pick. New Orleans will have the full $10.3 million midlevel exception but using more than $6.4 million will both hard cap them and put them over the $149 million tax threshold.”
The full rookie max for Zion would be five years and $181 million. *whistles* A contract with injury clauses and disclaimers like Embiid’s back in 2017 totally seems like the move.
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Favorite Pelicans Highlights of the 2021-22 Season:
Grand Theft Alvarado on Pat Bev: “I’m like a light-skin version of him, a better version.”
