New Orleans Pelicans Officially Have Best Duo in NBA at This One Thing

After making a high-profile move this offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans now have the two best players at doing one specific thing.

Detailed view of the New Orleans Pelicans logo on the shorts / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans were searching for a way to improve their roster so they can win in the playoffs for the first time under head coach Willie Green as they've made the postseason twice but have yet to advance during his three-year tenure.

Feeling a need to change things up, the Pelicans pulled off a trade for Dejounte Murray in one of the most high-profile moves of the summer. This will allow the former young star to take over primary ball handling responsibilities and move C.J. McCollum to an off-ball role where he previously thrived.

Green also added an experienced coach to his staff ahead of their first Summer League game where they got a look at some of their prospects.

The players competing in this event will attempt to perform well enough so they will be considered for a role with New Orleans during the upcoming season, but there is very little chance that anyone on this Summer League roster will be an immediate difference maker.

That's why they went out and landed Murray, and following this addition, the Pelicans now have the two leaders in steals over the past three years.

Most steals in the @NBA over the last 3 years:

1. Dejounte Murray (361)
2. Herb Jones (338)#Pelicans pic.twitter.com/WoPrlFPvcg

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 11, 2024

Murray burst onto the scene in 2017-18 when he was with the San Antonio Spurs.

He played in all but one game and averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per contest on his way to earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team. That's really where his reputation as a good defender was born, but after two tough years with the Atlanta Hawks, people started to shy away from that opinion.

The 27-year-old blamed it on the Hawks' philosophy when it comes to that end of the floor, so there is still hope he can return to his All-Star form from 2021-22 when he posted a defensive win share of 3.4 which was tied for 15th-best in the NBA.

Pelicans fans know how good of a defender Herb Jones has been since they drafted him in the second round of the 2021 draft. That culminated in a First Team All-Defense selection and finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.

Having these two in the same starting lineup is a scary thought for opposing teams as New Orleans now has the most prolific players in the league when it comes to stealing the basketball.