The New Orleans Pelicans are entering the 2021-22 NBA season with their third head coach in as many seasons.
Willie Green will be taking over for Stan Van Gundy and he will be tasked with helping turn around a Pelicans team that underwent some changes this offseason.
New Orleans still has their young All-Star duo in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but the rest of the starting lineup will look different around them. Lonzo Ball, Eric Bledsoe, and Steven Adams all moved on this offseason as part of trades.
Devonte’ Graham will be taking over for Ball. Jonas Valanciunas will be manning the center spot. At shooting guard, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is an option, as well as Josh Hart and rookie Trey Murphy III.
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Green has some time to figure out who his starting five will be, but he has to love knowing he will be getting a motivated Williamson to help lead the way. Williamson is determined to help get this team into the postseason.
“It was a sickening feeling,” Williamson told Joel Meyers and Antonio Daniels on a SiriusXM Radio interview earlier this week. “We weren’t in the playoffs — and I’m watching the playoffs — I’m like, man, we can be there. Like I know we can be there this year. Man, something just took over me and I was like, yeah, it’s not happening again. It’s not happening no more.
“When I started training, everything, from every rep, everything just felt personal. Everything was like, nah, nothing this year is going to stop us from getting into the playoffs. Like, we’re going to do this. I’m going to make sure I do my part and more, to make sure my teammates see me working.”
The former Duke product is entering his third season with the New Orleans Pelicans but has yet to get a taste of the postseason. New Orleans hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018 when they swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round before losing to the Golden State Warriors in the second round.
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Rumors were floating around earlier this offseason that people in Williamson’s family don’t want him in New Orleans any longer as well. He dispelled those rumors, but they will continue popping up until the Pelicans start winning some games.
Making the postseason will help quiet down the outside noise. The Pelicans have two incredible foundational pieces in Williamson and Ingram to build around. Those two should be enough to make New Orleans competitive and fight for a playoff spot this upcoming season.
