4 Key New Orleans Pelicans Players Who Need To Help Zion Williamson This Season

Zion Williamson is a big part of the plans for the New Orleans Pelicans, but these four teammates will play important roles, too.

Oct 13, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) dribbles the basketball against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The upside for the New Orleans Pelicans entering the 2024-25 season is immense.

This is a talented roster that has the potential to be a top-10 unit on both sides of the court. They are already a stout defensive team, moves made this offseason and adjustments to game plans should result in a more efficient offense as well.

To reach that potential, they will need Zion Williamson to remain healthy and perform to the best of his abilities. It is something that Pelicans and basketball fans have heard ad nauseam all offseason.

While he is a key to their success as the star player, he isn’t the only one they need to step up. Here are four of his most important teammates heading into the campaign.

Yves Missi

Someone has to emerge that can soak up minutes at the center spot. Small-ball lineups should be an adjustment Green can turn to in a pinch; not a staple of the game plan night in and night out.

The highest ceiling of the big men on the roster is possessed by their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Missi is a raw prospect, but the strengths he currently has would play well in certain lineup combinations.

He won’t offer spacing offensively, but we have seen young players (look no further than Dereck Lively II with the Dallas Mavericks last season) who can make an impact when given the chance. His energy and athleticism would play well.

Dejounte Murray

Whenever a team makes a blockbuster trade, results are expected. That is the case in New Orleans with their new starting point guard.

Murray will be moving back to a lead-ball handling role after moving off-ball with the Atlanta Hawks alongside Trae Young. The last two seasons helped him grow as a player, as he is more well-rounded and capable of handling different roles.

He raises the team’s floor on both ends. Late-game offensive struggles should disappear with a true table-setter and his defensive prowess is impressive. We didn’t see it much in Atlanta, but it should return with a strong supporting cast around him.

If he reaches the All-Star level again, the team is incredibly dangerous.

Javonte Green

There has been a lot of discussions about how the Pelicans are going to replace their big man depth that was lost over the summer. But, an under-the-radar loss for the team was Naji Marshall signing with the Mavericks.

Marshall was someone that the coaching staff trusted wholeheartedly off the bench as a Swiss Army Knife. His departure could result in more minutes for Jordan Hawkins, but it is Green who is the more important player.

He can do the dirty work that Marshall provided, defending multiple positions and providing some timely spot-up shooting. If New Orleans does lean into small ball as much as they are hinting, his presence will be integral as someone who can play up, matching against frontcourt players.

Trey Murphy

Just hours before the rookie scale deadline was set to expire, New Orleans and their 2021 first-round pick agreed to a four-year, $112 million deal. Based on how expensive contracts are getting in the league, this is one that could prove to be a steal.

Murphy has shown flashes of being ready to handle more responsibility on the court. Will those opportunities present themselves? A trade, specifically involving Brandon Ingram, has to occur for a true breakout to occur.

But, that extension puts any doubt to rest about how the franchise views him. He is a key part of their future moving forward. Getting and staying healthy is now his No. 1 priority.

For the most part, we know what the established veterans are bringing to the table. Only 24, there remains a level of intrigue to Murphy. If he can reach the ceiling he has hinted at, New Orleans moves that much closer to being legitimate contenders.