The NBA season is still more than two months away, but the league is quickly drumming interest after revealing the schedule for the second In-Season Tournament. The New Orleans Pelicans are in West Group C, which also consists of the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies. NBA writer Andy Bailey predicts this will be the toughest group of the tournament.

“Dallas has the tournament’s most prolific scorer in Luka Doncic. Denver has Jokić and a starting five that should still be among the league’s best, even after the departure of KCP. Golden State has Stephen Curry coming off an absurd close to the Paris Olympics. Memphis has a returning Ja Morant. And if Zion Williamson is healthy, New Orleans is among the league’s deepest and most explosive teams.”

The article predicts Luka Doncic will lead the tournament in scoring. Doncic led the NBA last season in points and made the All-NBA First Team for the fifth straight season. He led the Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic is a three-time MVP and may be the best player in the league currently. The Nuggets are a year removed from winning the NBA title in 2023. With Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Co., the Nuggets will be perennial contenders for years to come.

Steph Curry is coming off an unbelievable showing in the Olympics, helping Team USA secure their fifth-straight Gold Medal. His Warriors team lost a major piece to their dynasty run in Klay Thompson. He left to join the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State will always be dangerous as long as Curry is in the lineup.

Ja Morant leads the talented Memphis Grizzlies next season. Memphis dealt with a multitude of injuries that derailed a promising season. Morant faced his own troubles from an early season suspension stemming from some off-the-court issues during the offseason. Memphis figures to be back in the mix with a healthy Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson, Jr. next season.

The Pelicans went 7-7 against the other four teams in the group last year.

Health and continuity will be a major topic for New Orleans this season. Zion Williamson played a career-high 70 games last season but hurt himself in the Play-In Tournament versus the Lakers and missed the postseason again.

Brandon Ingram remains on the team despite contract disputes with the organization over a max extension. Ingram and his camp seek a deal worth in the neighborhood of $50 million a year. The Pelicans are unwilling to offer a deal to him and have reportedly shopped him to teams this summer. For now, Ingram appears that he will start the season in a Pelicans jersey. Time will tell how the ongoing talks could affect New Orleans on and off the court.