NBA Analyst Reveals 'Wildest' Lineup Combination New Orleans Pelicans Can Deploy

The New Orleans Pelicans have some unique lineup combinations they can use this upcoming season.

Apr 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots a three point basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) and New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green is going to have some very difficult decisions to make when it comes to his starting lineup for the upcoming season.

There are three players who seem locked into starting spots right now.

Dejounte Murray will be the team’s new starting point guard, Zion Williamson is the face of the franchise and Brandon Ingram is not being moved to the bench amid trade rumors.

Throughout his tenure with the franchise, Green has normally used a traditional big man in his lineups. That likely means a fourth spot will be taken by veteran Daniel Thies or rookie Yves Missi.

With three, if not four spots accounted for, that leaves at least one of CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones coming off the bench.

What Green decides to do will have a trickle down effect as someone is going to have their role and minutes changed during this campaign.

Navigating that situation will be the biggest obstacle for the head coach to overcome during the year, but one solution that could be seen periodically is Williamson playing minutes at the center spot.

That is the basis of NBA writer Dan Favale’s wildest lineup idea for the Pelicans.

In a piece over at Bleacher Report, he has suggested an intriguing lineup combination of Murray, Murphy, Jones, Javonte Green and Williamson.

"Shamit Dua of the world-famous Substack: In The N.O. basically called this the 'Zion and the dawgs 2.0.' lineup during our recent discussion on the New Orleans Pelicans for Hardwood Knocks (1:02:52 mark). I'm here for it. Pivoting to Zion-plus-shooters, as Dua also noted, might be more novel. This group certainly isn't that. The spacing could be not-so-great. But Murphy is a knockdown sniper while both Jones and Murray have improved their touch from distance," Favale wrote.

This five-man group would also do some serious damage on the defensive side of the ball.

Rebounding would be an issue given how undersized they are in the frontcourt, but getting shots off against this lineup would prove to be difficult.

Turnovers would be created at a frenzied pace with so many long athletes playing the passing lanes. Combinations like this are something Green should strongly consider througohut the season as a change-up depending on matchups.

Offensively, Williamson will see more space than he ever has in his basketball career.

Good luck slowing down his rim runs as his passing is improving.

Leaving this plethora of 3-point shooters open on the perimeter would be a death sentence for opponents.