Young Guard Will Be X-Factor for New Orleans Pelicans This Season

Who will be the X-Factor for the New Orleans Pelicans this season?

Apr 5, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are getting set for what could be a very exciting year after a strong offseason. 

During the summer, the Pelicans were able to bolster their roster by acquiring Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. Murray has shown flashes that he can be an All-Star caliber player in the league, and he plays very well at both ends of the court. 

The franchise hopes that the addition of the young guard will be one of the moves that helps New Orleans become a true contender in the Western Conference. While the Pelicans did make the playoffs last year, they were handled rather easily by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even if Zion Williamson was healthy in that series, New Orleans was still likely overmatched. 

While the addition of Murray was a big move for the Pelicans, the franchise has a fairly young team that is still developing. One of the players that they have high hopes for is Jordan Hawkins from the UConn Huskies. 

Hawkins was the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he had a solid rookie season. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the guard from UConn as a long-term X-factor for the franchise. 

“The UConn product shot 36.6 percent from deep last season, getting up a healthy 9.2 long-range tries per 36 minutes. Though his greatest value may come as a movement shooter who bends defenses by flying off screens, it's still encouraging that he knocked down triples at an automatic 41.2 percent clip when left wide open. If Hawkins can ramp up his volume and efficiency, and if the Pels can harness his gravity, this offense will be a handful for years to come.”

After playing just two years with the Huskies, Hawkins made the jump to the NBA. UConn has built a powerhouse program in college, and a lot of their players are making an impact in the NBA now. The young guard is hoping to be just that for New Orleans, as he averaged 7.8 points in just 17.3 minutes per game. 

In Hawkins’ second season with the Huskies, he flashed the ability to be a good scorer and a strong shooter. From beyond the arc, he shot 38.8 percent on nearly eight three-point attempts per game. 

The 23-year-old's ability to shoot and space the floor is going to be important for the Pelicans long-term, as those are the players that will fit nicely with Williamson. 

As he heads into his second campaign in the league, Hawkins will certainly be a player to watch for New Orleans.