The New Orleans Pelicans are an interesting team heading into the 2024-2025 NBA season. New Orleans won 49 games last season, which was the second-most in franchise history. They acquired an All-Star level guard in Dejounte Murray without having to sacrifice the core of their team. Still, most experts are cautious to crown the Pelicans a contender in the Western Conference.

On a recent episode of The Hoops Collective Podcast, ESPN’s insiders Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon were all asked if they were buying or selling New Orleans chances to compete this season. All three said they were selling stock for various reasons.

MacMahon questioned how the Pelicans could be in contention without a viable center in the lineup. New Orleans lost Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance, Jr., and Cody Zeller via trade this offseason. They replaced them with undersized forward Daniel Theis and drafted Yves Missi with their first-round pick in the NBA Draft.

“It seems like this Pelicans team is going into next season trying to play Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson,” MacMahon quipped. “They don’t have anybody that you really are expecting to play massive minutes that they like (at center).”

How New Orleans handles the lack of size is an intriguing storyline to watch as the season unfolds. Williamson played some minutes last season without Valanciunas, Nance, Jr, or Zeller on the floor and the Pelicans had a +6 net rating. However, that accounted for less than 10% of the minutes played, so a very small sample size. Asking Williamson to play the lion’s share of minutes at center is not a recipe for keeping him healthy throughout the season.

Health was the major concern for Windhorst on why he cannot fully buy into New Orleans being a contender next year.

“I’m such a huge believer in his talent and he played 70 games last season……but it’s hard to say buy when he can’t finish the season. He just can’t finish it.”

Williamson is heading into his sixth season in New Orleans and has yet to play in a playoff game, despite the Pelicans making the playoffs two of the last three years. Last year, he played a career-high 70 games but injured his hamstring in the Play-In Tournament right before the playoffs. The only chance the Pelicans have to compete is with a healthy Williamson in the lineup.

Other factors the podcast revealed were the team’s unwillingness to pay the luxury tax and the looming decision regarding Brandon Ingram, who enters this season on the last year of his contract. Ingram seeks a max extension worth about $50 million a year. With the current contracts on the books, but an extension for Trey Murphy III due, the Pelicans are unwilling to meet Ingram’s demands.

How the Ingram saga plays out during the season will be one to watch in New Orleans. On paper, the Pelicans have talents, but roster construction and potential internal unrest with Ingram will play a major part in how New Orleans performs on this court this year.