New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans ended up being big “buyers” at the trade deadline this season, sacrificing a handful of future assets for one of the best players available in trade talks this season in CJ McCollum from the Blazers.
The status of Zion Williamson is very much in question for the rest of the season, but the Pelicans still have a handful of high-level talents in Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and now CJ McCollum to try and lead them to the playoffs for the first-time since 2018.
Looking at where the Pelicans were following the first month or two of the regular season, it is quite remarkable to see them in the hunt for a play-in tournament spot right now.
After starting the year 8-21, the Pelicans have finally turned things around and they currently reside 23-36, just 2.0 games back from the Trail Blazers for the 10-seed in the Western Conference.
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It seems like every game that the Pelicans play together they are getting better and their defense has started to look better as of late as well. Getting the extra boost from McCollum on offense was exactly what they were missing and now, New Orleans is ready to make some noise.
15 of their remaining 23 games are against teams with a losing record currently, giving the Pelicans plenty of time to make up ground on the Blazers in hopes of reaching the play-in tournament.
