Last season, Valanciunas played in all 82 games for the Pelicans. He played 1,925 minutes, or nearly 49 percent of the available playing time at the center position. According to Basketball ReferenceLarry Nance Jr. played 99 percent of his 1,216 minutes at center, or just over 30 percent of the team’s minutes played. The rest was covered by a combination of Cody Zeller (320 minutes), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (150 minutes) and small-ball teams where Zion Williamson played center, for just over 300 minutes.
Now Valanciunas is in Washington, at least for now. Nance and Zeller were both sent to Atlanta in the Dejounte Murray trade. That means the Pelicans have to replace a ton of center minutes, about 42 per game. Much of that burden will likely fall on their first-round pick.
New Orleans selected Baylor’s Yves Missi with the 21st pick in June’s NBA draft. The 6-foot-2 Missi can block shots and has great rebounding and dunking potential, but dunking is one of the most important skills in his offensive game. He certainly has potential, but it’s tough to ask a rookie to come in and start for a playoff team, especially one who doesn’t shoot or pass.
The Pelicans also signed veteran Daniel Theis, who was Germany’s starting center during the Olympics and the Clippers’ backup center during the 2023-24 season. He averaged 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks, despite making 37 percent of his three-pointers (on 70 attempts). An NBA team could do worse for a backup center, but they could probably do a lot better, too.
Barring any further changes, it appears Williamson could spend a lot more time playing at five. Lineups with Zion at center could be explosive offensively, but would have to give up a lot of points on the other end of the floor with the 6-foot-2 Williamson protecting the rim. Plus, he hasn’t exactly been a durable player throughout his career, so asking him to play with huge pivots for half the game is a questionable proposition.
But this might be the best of the Pelicans’ limited options, especially since their owners are reluctant to pay the luxury tax. Unless a hot trade market emerges for Brandon Ingram, who is approaching the final year of his contract, Williamson might be the best of many unattractive center options for New Orleans.
The Pelicans clearly have playoff ambitions, as evidenced by the Murray trade. But it’s remarkable that a team that won 49 games last season still has a huge hole in its roster with 10 weeks left in the season.
