ESPN Analysts Name New Orleans Pelicans Among Most Intriguing Teams in NBA

The New Orleans Pelicans enter the season with a ton of upside, but also a bunch of question marks.

Feb 23, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green talks to forward Brandon Ingram (14) during a break in the action the Toronto Raptors in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

We are about one month away from the New Orleans Pelicans hosting Media Day, which marks the unofficial start of the season. Expectations are high for the Pelicans after winning 49 games last season and acquiring Dejounte Murray this summer from the Atlanta Hawks. Still, there are burning questions surrounding this team heading into the new season.

ESPN analysts Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon discussed this season's most intriguing people on their Hoops Collective Podcast. The trio named the Pelicans organization as one of the most curious storylines of the upcoming year.

"This is why this whole team is intriguing to me," Windhorst proclaimed. "They don't have a center, so they're going to be playing weird. "You've got Ingram with the contract situation to deal with.......and as of right now the Pelicans are in the (luxury) tax."

The Pelicans seemed to hint earlier this summer at a philosophical change to how they play offense this season. In years past, New Orleans always had a bruiser in the middle, with players like Jonas Valanciunas and Steven Adams clogging up the lanes. New Orleans executive vice president David Griffin envisions a smaller, quicker Pelicans team this year.

"I know everybody thinks we have to invest in the center position a little bit," Griffin said during a Summer League interview. "We are really excited about what we have now. We are excited to play small and fast."

Many thought the Pelicans would use Ingram's contract situation to bolster their front line through trade. The market for a player who has made only one All-Star appearance and not played more than 65 games since his rookie year is just not there. Ingram is seeking a max extension worth between $45-$50 million annually and neither the Pelicans nor any other NBA suitor is willing to pay him that.

He appears to be heading into the new season as a member of the Pelicans without a new deal in place. Ingram will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. How the chemistry on the team will be affected with his contract talks looming over is an intriguing storyline to watch. Most think if a deal does not take place, then New Orleans will ultimately unload Ingram near the trade deadline.

The Pelicans will look to get back quality assets for the former All-Star forward and maybe an expiring contract or two to get the team under the luxury tax threshold by year's end. New Orleans has never paid the tax in team history and made moves in the past to purposely duck it.

History shows that teams need to pay the tax to compete for championships in the NBA. 13 of the last 17 NBA champions have paid the tax the year they won the title. New Orleans has made the postseason in two of the last three seasons but was nowhere close to competing because of injuries and roster construction. The Pelicans' offensive ideology is changing, it will be interesting to see if their commitment to winning changes as well.