Pelicans Sliding Into Deep Early Hole As Result Of Injuries And Underperformance

November 20, 2024

CLEVELAND — The New Orleans Pelicans, once touted as a team on the rise in the Western Conference, have hit an unexpected low.

Look no further than their 4-11 record entering Wednesday’s road game against the Cavaliers (15-1).

This is a franchise that had steadily climbed the net-rating ranks over the past two years, from 21st to 10th to an impressive sixth last season. But here we are, a quarter of the way into 2024-25, and the Pelicans sit at 28th.

That’s not a typo. Injuries, as always, are the easiest culprit to point to — and with this team, it’s more than just an excuse. It’s a cruel reality.

Four of the Pelicans’ five most-used players from last season — Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, CJ McCollum, and Trey Murphy III — have missed significant time. Add in the fact that Dejounte Murray, a big-name offseason acquisition, has played in just one game, and you start to understand the steep decline.

Even so, the players who have been available haven’t delivered what’s needed. Brandon Ingram, usually the Pelicans’ steadying force, has seen a notable drop in efficiency and impact, and the same can be said for role players like Jose Alvarado and Javonte Green.

This isn’t the start New Orleans envisioned, but what happens next is even more critical. They’re staring at a massive uphill climb, needing to perform at a near-elite level — essentially the equivalent of a 54-win pace — to salvage the season and match last year’s 49-33 mark. But with Alvarado now added to an injury report that already reads like a roll call, that’s a tall order.

At full strength, this is undoubtedly a playoff-caliber roster. But can the Pelicans stay healthy long enough to make a run? Or is this year destined to be a “what could’ve been” kind of season? Only time will tell, but time isn’t on their side.