New Orleans Pelicans Have Three Players Predicted To Finish Top 10 in Award Voting

A few New Orleans Pelicans players could factor into the award races during the 2024-25 season.

Apr 22, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) and forward Herbert Jones (5) and guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of game three of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at the Smoothie King Center against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns won, 114-111. / Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans have a deep and talented roster heading into the 2024-25 season. Head coach Willie Green is going to have some tough decisions to make with his lineup, as there are a lot of players who warrant starting spots but only five can have them.

Many people are expecting another trade to be completed eventually as they need to clear a logjam on the perimeter. Brandon Ingram, Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones all warrant major roles and starting spots.

The same can be said for veteran guard CJ McCollum, who may be pushed out of the starting five this season.

Based on some of the votes that NBA experts over at ESPN cast in their award predictions for the 2024-25 campaign, that would seem to be the case.

McCollum received three points in the Sixth Man of the Year voting done by the panel. He was tied with veteran Bojan Bogdanovic, who is expected to come off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets.

Just ahead of him in the poll is point guard Jose Alvarado. The Georgia Tech product finished sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year Award voting for the 2023-24 season and should factor into the mix once again.

He received five percent of the first-place votes from ESPN’s experts and finished with six points. Alvardo was tied for eighth along with Norman Powell of the Los Angeles Clippers.

A tie was also had for the No. 1 spot. Malik Monk of the Sacramento Kings and Alex Caruso of the Oklahoma City Thunder tied with 38 points and 19 percent of the first-place votes. Tying them with 19 percent of the first-place votes but finishing nine points behind is the reigning award winner, Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Another player who was mentioned among the awards was Herbert Jones. He finished in a tie for 10th place in the Defensive Player of the Year Award voting.

Jones received one point along with Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics and Chet Holmgren of the Thunder.

Earning the No. 1 spot in a landslide over the competition was Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. He received 67 percent of the first-place votes and 29 points overall. The second most points went to Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves with 29.