Five Pelicans Named In Top 100 Players List
New Orleans, LA - With the NBA regular season less than two months away, many prognosticators are predicting team records and player standings. Matt Moore from Action Network released his Top 100 list of players in the NBA. Five Pelicans made the list, including Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
There are a series of factors involved in the ranking, such as historical regular season performance, playoff impact on winning, and expectation of improvement due to younger age, to name a few. Brandon Ingram was the highest-rated Pelican on the list. Here's how the Pelicans players were ranked.
39. Brandon Ingram
40. Zion Williamson
60. Trey Murphy III
86. CJ McCollum
100. Hebert Jones
Injuries no doubt place Zion Williamson as far down on the list as he is. His immense talent and production have only been overshadowed by a lack of availability early in his career. Moore hints that a healthy season from Zion would propel him up the ranks.
He could be in the top 10 by the end of next season, or he could be in the back quartile. Is he ever going to be healthy? Are teammates ever going to rally around him?
The rise of Trey Murphy III is continuing as national media pundits are starting to give him the recognition he deserves. Murphy's second season in New Orleans avoided any sophomore slump that befalls many young players. His 48/41/91 splits were amongst some of the best in the league. Moore thinks another strong season from Murphy III will raise him higher in the future.
Apr 12, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) brings the ball up court against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Very likely to be a breakout candidate this season and a potential star whose efficiency (48-41-91 splits) warrants a much larger part of the offense. If the Pelicans recognize and empower his talent, he'll be top-30 next season at age 24.
The Top 3 players on the list are from teams who've won the last three NBA championships. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry lead the list heading into the 2023-2024 NBA season. Historically, to win an NBA title, you need at least a top-tier player leading you to the Promise Land.
New Orleans has not proven to have that player up to this point. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have missed significant time recently due to injuries. A healthy season from each will no doubt lead to massive success for the Pelicans.
