Mid-Season Report Card: Pelicans

The most inconsistent team in basketball needs to let Zion flourish and recognize his unique abilities if they want to make postseason noise.

Underperforming expectations

The talent is there, and the star power is there. Why are young teams bad at defense? Similar to the Kings, the Pelicans don't seem to bring defensive effort to games, and it shows in their record.

New Orleans has guys that can play defense, but they're inconsistent in nearly every facet anyway, so it's not surprising that they're playing this way, just disappointing.

Core

If you take a look at the Pels' young cast it includes Zion, Ingram, Lonzo, and Josh Hart. The former Lakers and Zion have so much potential that it's a bit frightening when put into theory, just not reality.

The core needs to take a look at what's working and what isn't. Zion should be commanding the offense and bringing the ball up the floor, plain and simple. This isn't Ingram's team anymore, and whether he realizes it is unknown. Whether Coach Van Gundy realizes it is also unknown.

How could one not recognize the special player that Zion Williamson is, and that when he is at the helm of gameplay the team is actually good? Those poor defenders can't do anything against his pure strength, power, and athleticism.

The team is young and has to learn these things, but no one is feeling sorry for them. Their talent is immense and they should surely be in the playoff picture, which they currently are looking in on from a distance.

Lonzo's future is unclear given his fluctuations in production, but he is extremely valuable with his raw point guard skills.

Brandon Ingram can score at will and defend decently, but he needs to do what Kyle Kuzma did and accept a role for the betterment of the team, regardless of his individual ability. Being a Scottie to Zion's Jordan isn't a bad thing. And no, Zion isn't on MJ's level, it was just an analogy.

Josh Hart works harder than anyone on the team, and that shouldn't be the case if the Pelicans want to eclipse the 12 seed in the West and compete for a playoff berth.

The rest of the team

Key additions Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe have underperformed as well, pinpointing the trend of everything in Louisiana's NBA team.

Nicolò Melli is a, as Leigh Ellis of No Dunks would say, a beautiful shooter of the basketball. Van Gundy doesn't put him in when they need a bucket in final possessions, which is puzzling.

The Pelicans might need to go shopping at the deadline if they wish to reverse their fortunes.

Grade:

C-