New Orleans Pelicans Defense Has One Glaring Issue To Overcome

The New Orleans Pelicans have a major flaw defensively that could hold them back this season.

Apr 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) blocks the shot attempt of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Under head coach Willie Green, the New Orleans Pelicans have consistently been one of the better defensive teams in the NBA.

He has been willing to sacrifice a little bit of offensive production if it meant the team’s defense remaining is up to snuff. There is optimism that such sacrifices will no longer be necessary with Dejounte Murray joining the fold as the starting point guard.

He has shown that he can be a two-way impact player when surrounded by the right supporting cast. The Pelicans, at least on paper, look to have that cast.

Their perimeter defense should once again be elite.

Murray is stellar in the backcourt along with Jose Alvarado off the bench. Herbert Jones is regarded as one of the best defenders in the NBA and Trey Murphy has the tools to reach that level as well. Javonte Green is another strong defensive player coming off the bench.

The pieces are there to once again shut down opponents. However, there is one glaring issue New Orleans has to figure out a way to compensate for -- their rim protection.

“The Pelicans finished sixth in defensive efficiency last season but ranked 23rd in field goal percentage allowed at the rim. That comes after New Orleans was bottom two in rim protection in the three prior seasons,” as shared by ESPN.

That speaks volumes to just how elite of a group this is on the perimeter. Despite being unable to slow teams down in the paint and at the rim, they were near the top of the league in defensive efficiency.

Alas, it is hard to envision things getting better in the rim-protecting department when taking a look at the current roster. Their starting center could be Daniel Thies, as other reports have indicated that Jones could fill the role.

Unless a move is made, New Orleans is dangerously undersized on the interior. That will cause some issues with rim protection, especially if Zion Williamson is unable to play the help defender spot that he was excelling in last season.

That weakness is what could lead to rookie Yves Missi emerging as a rotation piece. He has the athleticism and bounce to play above the rim on both ends of the court. Listed at 6’11”, he would also provide the lineup with some much-needed size on the interior.

This will be something to keep an eye on all season. There are lineup combinations that Green can use to overcome rim-protection shortcomings.

Of course, opponents have to get there first. That will prove difficult with some of the perimeter defenders the Pelicans can throw at you.