Analyst Urges New Orleans Pelicans to Make This Change to Starting Lineup

An NBA analyst wants to see the New Orleans Pelicans make a change to their starting five for the 2024-25 season.

Mar 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans head coach Willie Green looks on against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans rotation is going to look much different in the 2024-25 season compared to last season. Some major changes were made to the lineup this offseason, resulting in Willie Green having a new group to work with.

The biggest addition was Dejounte Murray, who is going to be the new starting point guard. With Jonas Valanicuas departing, landing with the Washington Wizards in a sign-and-trade deal, there will be a new starting center as well.

Along with Murray, Zion Williamson is a lock for the starting five. After that, it will come down to what preference Green has.

Herbert Jones should be in the starting group because of his defensive prowess. CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram were both starters last season as well. But, that would mean Williamson is the starting center, an alignment that should be used as a change-up, not a staple.

However, there is another player who is worthy of a starting spot; Trey Murphy. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report has urged the Pelicans to find a way to get the former first-round pick into the starting five one way or another.

“Finding a spot for Murphy should be a given. And it might already be etched in stone. His spacing and shot-making and off-ball movement is invaluable to a team that's heavy on guys who prefer to operate inside the arc and on the rock,” Favale wrote.

Figuring out who Murhpy should be replacing is a tall task. It is fair to assume that Green is going to use a traditional center, either Daniel Theis or Yves Missi, joining Williamson and Murray.

If that happens, two of Jones, McCollum, Ingram and Murphy will be coming off the bench. Having a lot of talent is nice, but this is shaping up as a major headache and storyline to follow in New Orleans entering the season.

Convincing Ingram, who is on an expiring deal and angling for a massive contract, to come off the bench feels like it would be a non-starter. Could the team offer him a long-term extension and work a handshake agreement of a role change into it?

The easiest way to alleviate the logjam would be to find a team willing to trade for Ingram. That would clear the way for Murphy to enter the starting lineup and shift McCollum to the second unit, where his playmaking and scoring would provide a boost.