Pelicans depth chart updated after former Lakers forward Matt Ryan signs 2-way deal

The New Orleans Pelicans' depth chart has been updated following the addition of former LA Lakers forward Matt Ryan. The second-year player had been waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Pelicans signed him on Sunday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.

According to the NBA insider, Matt Ryan signed a two-way contract with New Orleans, which means that his roster spot is not guaranteed.

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Ryan appeared in 34 games last season, 12 with the Lakers and 22 with the Timberwolves. He averaged 3.9 points per game for the 17-time NBA champions, shooting 37.1% from beyond the arc, as well as 3.4 ppg, on 38.8% from 3-point range, for Minnesota.

His addition improves the Pelicans' depth, providing another shooting option to a team that will start the regular season without the injured Trey Murphy and Naji Marshall.

Updated New Orleans Pelicans depth chart following Matt Ryan's addition

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
CJ McCollum	Dyson Daniels	Brandon Ingram	Zion Williamson	Jonas Valanciunas
Jose Alvarado	Dereon Sabron	Herbert Jones	Larry Nance Jr.	Cody Zeller
Kira Lewis	Jordan Hawkins	Naji Marshall	Kaiser Gates
		Trey Murphy III	E.J. Liddell

The Pelicans aim at nothing but a deep playoff run this year. After leading the way in the West after the first two and a half months, New Orleans collapsed in the second part of the season and eventually missed the playoffs after losing the play-in game.

The Pelicans had a 23-14 record in early January when Zion Williamson suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for the remainder of the season. At the same time, fellow star Brandon Ingram missed several games with a toe injury, and the Pelicans never found a way to cover their gap.

Despite CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas' consistent performances, New Orleans dropped to the play-in tournament with a 42-40 record and got eliminated by the OKC Thunder.

Fast forward to today, the team hopes the return of Zion Williamson will help them maintain their playoff status and fight for a spot in the upper echelon of the Western Conference.

Williamson appears to be in great shape and headlines the Pelicans' depth chart, with the franchise being optimistic heading into the start of the season.

"I do feel like he has matured a lot," McCollum said of Williamson, via the New York Post. "I feel like he has an understanding of what’s expected of him and exactly what he needs to do consistently in order to be available. I think he understands how good he can be when he’s doing the little things."

At the same time, coach Willie Green is entering a crucial year, his third, regarding his future with the team. The Pelicans have reached the play-in tournament for two straight years, but they now have to take a step forward. A losing season could cost him his job.

The Pelicans' depth chart looks good, and Green knows that if his players stay healthy, then the Pelicans can be a dark horse in the West. New Orleans kicks off the season with a road game at the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.