When the New Orleans Pelicans made an aggressive move to acquire Dejounte Murray in a blockbuster deal this summer that completely changed the outlook for this roster.
Adding a guard of his caliber gives this team a true playmaker who can be the floor general who sets up others, while also being capable of scoring 20+ points himself.
The move undoubtedly raised their ceiling significantly as they seek their first playoff win under head coach Willie Green, but it also cost them some depth at center that hasn’t been addressed at this point in the year.
The Pelicans were able to sign Daniel Theis in free agency, but he’s not a starting-caliber big man in a true championship contender, so it’s likely this team fully embraces the small-ball game by putting Zion Williamson at the five for the majority of the minutes.
New Orleans will certainly have to make some roster decisions during preseason camp, but before they prepare for next season, others have begun to project what they might decide to do this year.
A change Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report thinks the Pelicans should move star guard CJ McCollum to the bench.
“McCollum is still a very good NBA player but he will be 33 before the season begins. The Pelicans no longer need his ball-handling skills in the starting five with Murray on board and need to create a bigger role for Murphy, who is eligible for an extension. If New Orleans doesn’t trade [Brandon] Ingram, a starting five of Murray, Ingram, [Trey] Murphy, [Herbert] Jones and Williamson with McCollum as the offensive force off the bench is the best strategy to use to start the 2024-25 season,” he wrote.
This certainly seems logical at first glance.
Murray would be able to take on primary point guard responsibilities, putting him on the court with three-point specialist Trey Murphy III and elite defender Herb Jones.
Williamson at the five would certainly create driving lanes for everyone in this lineup, allowing Brandon Ingram to work the mid-range, which is his specialty.
The only question is whether McCollum would accept a reserve role.
He hasn’t come off the bench since his second season in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.
It’s something that executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin and head coach Green will have to figure out if they want to go in that direction, but it’s certainly an interesting idea that could help this team become a true contender in the Western Conference.
