New Orleans Pelicans Trio Voted Among NBA's Best

Where does the Pelicans 'Big 3' rank with the NBA's elite?

New Orleans, LA - Today's NBA is a star league. The best teams have the best players, and those compete for championships. The New Orleans Pelicans boast a formidable 'Big 3', but injuries have derailed their chances to compete at the highest level. The trio of CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson look to change that narrative this upcoming season.

Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz recently revealed his top five trios in the NBA, and the Pelicans trio came in at No. 5. Considering the trio has played less than 11 games together, expectations are high for the production these three can have on the court together. 

This ranking is a bit of a leap of faith given Williamson's (and Ingram's) injury history, but the Pelicans have been unstoppable when all three stars share the floor.

Williamson, Ingram and McCollum have only logged a total of 335 possessions since coming together in February 2022, yet they have walloped opponents by nearly 20 points per 100 possessions in the process. When Williamson was lost for the season on Jan. 2, 2023, New Orleans was just a game out of first place in the West at 23-14 overall.

The trio combined to average 71.6 points, 16.9 rebounds and 16.1 assists per game in 2022-23, with three-point averages ranging from 36.8 to 39.0 percent. There's enough offensive firepower here to carry New Orleans to the NBA Finals, and the defense with all three on the floor was at an elite level as well (104.1 rating, 99th percentile).

Williamson already looks like one of the most talented players in the league despite possessing just 114 total games of experience at age 23. Ingram, 25, has been named an All-Star, and McCollum, 31, has averaged 20 points or more eight consecutive seasons, tying him with legends like Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce and David Robinson.

Health is key for this group. With it, however, this is going to be one of the best Big 3s in the NBA.

Naturally, the NBA champion Denver Nuggets trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon were No. 1 on the list. They were closely followed by the Phoenix Suns trio, then the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers respectively. 

The trio will have to carry a heavier workload to start the season. Reports have surfaced that rising forward Trey Murphy III suffered a knee injury during a recent workout. The extent of his injury is unknown at this time, but Murphy figured to be a major contributor on offense in his third NBA season.

Each of the three Pelicans has been hard at work this offseason in preparation for the impending season. Brandon Ingram is playing for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup Tournament. Zion Williamson's latest workout photos have surfaced online, again setting the internet ablaze.

The veteran McCollum constantly ensures his mind and body are ready for the grind of the NBA season. With the Western Conference being loaded from top to bottom, the Pelicans trio must stay on the court and be consistent for New Orleans to have success.