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The New Orleans Pelicans endured yet another disappointing season, finishing 11th in the Western Conference standings.
The Pelicans had a rough start to their 2020-21 NBA campaign, managing just five wins in their first 15 games. They recovered from that but continued to be inconsistent as they fell short of qualifying for the postseason, thanks to injuries to key players.
Nonetheless, there were quite a few positives for the team during the season. The biggest of them all was the burgeoning partnership between their star trio of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. They were key architects in most of the New Orleans Pelicans' wins during the regular season.
While the 2020-21 campaign did not happen the way the New Orleans Pelicans would have envisaged it to, they did show glimpses of their prowess. Their season series win against the LA Clippers and dominant performances against top teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz were notable examples in that regard.
The Pelicans were one of the most exciting teams offensively, scoring 114.7 points per game (ninth-best in the league). They were the seventh-best team shooting from the floor, converting 47.7% of their field goals.
New Orleans Pelicans' major areas of concern
The New Orleans Pelicans were one of the worst defensive teams in the league during the 2020-21 NBA season. With a rating of 113.1, they were 23rd in the defensive rating list and conceded 114.1 points per game, the sixth-worst in the league.
The Pelicans were also one of the worst teams defending on the perimeter, conceding 14.5 three-pointers per game, the second-worst by any team in the league. Their overreliance on their offense to win games proved to be one of their biggest shortcomings during the season.
The young New Orleans Pelicans core struggled to keep their focus intact for a consistent period of time and often failed to win games regularly. They only had one four-game winning streak, which was also their longest in the entire campaign. They recorded a three-game winning streak only once and failed to win more than two games on the trot on several occasions.
The team clearly lacked the ability to perform in crunch situations and were unable to turn games around when they weren't in control early on.
Outgoing Players
The contracts of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, James Johnson, James Nunnally, Didi Louzada and Willy Hernangomez are all up this summer. The quintet could be on the move, depending on how the New Orleans Pelicans plan their off-season.
Priorities in the off-season
The New Orleans Pelicans have a big off-season ahead. One of their first priorities would be to try and keep Lonzo Ball in the team. Even though there are plenty of options in the 2021 free agency for the point guard position, re-signing Ball could be the best for them. That's because of his promising chemistry with the team's two frontline stars, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
The trio looked great together and could prove key in helping the team make the playoffs next season, provided they are surrounded by proven performers.
If they fail to re-sign Lonzo Ball, though, the Pelicans should look to add an experienced floor general, who would be able to lead the team in crunch situations and keep the young team focused.
In the past, the Pelicans have had to let go of players like Chris Paul and Anthony Davis while they were in their primes. If they fail to build a lethal team around Zion Williamson, he could follow in Paul's and Davis' footsteps, which wouldn't be in the best interests of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Sam Amick of The Athletic recently said on KHTK radio that the New Orleans Pelicans aren't 'vibing' with current head coach Stan Van Gundy. That could be a problem moving forward, something the front office will need to address.
Two other players the New Orleans Pelicans should look to keep hold of are Josh Hart and Willy Hernangomez. As mentioned earlier, the duo will be out of contract this summer. They have made solid contributions off the bench and could be relied upon next season to continue their good form.
Reason to be optimistic
The New Orleans Pelicans have two of the brightest young stars in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram; both of them have been All-Stars as well. The duo was terrific during the 2020-21 campaign and could only improve with time. Williamson averaged 27 points per game, while Ingram averaged 23.7.
They are expected to be more determined next year to challenge for the playoffs, which is one of the primary reasons why the New Orleans Pelicans should be confident ahead of next season.
Early predictions for next season
The New Orleans Pelicans showed great promise this season. If they can assemble a decent enough roster around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans will fancy their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. If not, they are likely to at least make the play-in tournament (provided it remains).
