Hanifan's Offseason Outlook: Evaluating the New Orleans Pelicans 2024 offseason

Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! Today, we are looking back on the New Orleans Pelicans’ offseason!

Previous Offseason Outlooks:

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Additions: Dejounte Murray (trade), Daniel Theis, Jamal Cain, Javonte Green

Subtractions: Dyson Daniels (trade), Naji Marshall, Larry Nance (trade), Jonas Valanciunas, Dereon Seabron, Cody Zeller (sign-and-trade)

Re-signed: None.

Draft: Yves Missi (No. 21 overall), Antonio Reaves (No. 47), Karlo Matkovic (No. 52)

Hanifan’s Take: After another unfortunate postseason exit, the New Orleans Pelicans took another swing in the offseason, this time for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. They traded away a pretty valuable asset in the 2025 Lakers pick plus Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. (among others), so it wasn’t inexpensive. But you have to give something to get something. The Pelicans have been desperate for a point guard, and Murray fits that exact mold. What they didn’t do was deal Brandon Ingram, who now enters the 2024-25 season on an expiring contract in the hunt for a max contract. The issue is that nobody is willing to give up an adequate package for the 27-year-old when he’s played in 75 percent of his team’s games three times over the last seven seasons. How will New Orleans navigate this with Trey Murphy III, who should’ve already been extended, and Herb Jones seeking extra opportunity? How will McCollum, Murray, Ingram and Williamson co-exist on a basketball court? While he’s still raw in his skillset, I loved Missi as a two-way prospect. How will he and Daniel Theis, an undersized big, hold down the fort when the 6-foot-6 Williamson isn’t playing the 5? There are too many questions I have for New Orleans heading into the new season. Willie Green has done a very good job on the sidelines, improving by at least six wins each of his first three seasons. Can this current group get over the first-round hump? That remains to be seen.