New Orleans Pelicans Duo Named Most ‘Bizarre’ Pairing in NBA

The New Orleans Pelicans duo was once again questioned for their strange fit on the court.

Feb 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) hugs forward Zion Williamson (1) as he is announced to the fans to start the game against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans have enjoyed some success in the Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson era, but not as much as some have hoped for. While both players have potential star power and have shown that for parts of their careers together, the fit next to each other has often been questioned.

With some of those fit issues, Ingram has been at the forefront of trade rumors over the past few months. It isn't because Ingram is a bad player by any means, but the 26-year-old playing next to Williamson brings some challenges.

Williamson is clearly the better player, but his health issues have also been a problem. It's tough to judge the pairing too much when they don't have a ton of consistency on the court together.

However, when they do play, it often doesn't look great.

That's exactly why Dan Favale of Bleacher Report named them as one of the "most bizarre" pairings in the NBA right now.

"For so long, the coupling of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson has survived on the coattails of caveats. They would be more harmonic if they were healthier, if Ingram fired more threes, if the New Orleans Pelicans just surrounded them with better shooters."

Favale mentioning shooting here is a big thing, as the Pelicans didn't exactly address that in the offseason. Their need for a center who can stretch the floor is clear next to their two All-Stars, as that could help them figure things out.

Instead, New Orleans doesn't even have a starting center on their roster.

Favale believes that this duo will eventually be broken up, writing that it just depends on who they can find to take one of them on, which would likely be Ingram.

"Between pressing financial realities and an on-court dynamic that's awkward at best, this is a duo destined for dissolution. It's just a matter of when. And how."

That said, the Pelicans' front office should also be blamed for this pairing. Their starting five offers a ton of defensive versatility and even some offensive firepower if guys are at the top of their game.

However, their shooting is average at best. With Ingram, who lives in the mid-range, and Williamson, who takes most of his shots around the rim, there need to be guys on the court around them who can hit from three-point range at an above-average clip.

The front office hasn't done that.

Time will only tell, but it looks likely that a change could be coming at some point in the near future to better the fit of the entire roster.