New Orleans is a weird place for a basketball team. The food is too good, the nights are too long, and the injury luck is—honestly—just cruel. If you look at the standings right now, the New Orleans Pelicans look like a team in total freefall. They’re sitting at 9-33 after a rough loss to Denver, stuck at the bottom of the Western Conference while teams like the Thunder and Mavs fly by.
It’s easy to check out. You see the record, you see the "Out" next to Dejounte Murray’s name, and you think, here we go again. But if you actually watch the games at the Blender, something different is happening. This isn't just another lost season of New Orleans Pelicans basketball; it’s a weird, painful, but necessary transition into a completely different era.
The Zion Williamson Elephant in the Room
Let’s talk about Zion. It’s always Zion. He’s played 26 games this season. In those games, he’s averaging 22.3 points on 57% shooting. When he’s on the floor, he still looks like a glitch in the Matrix—a 280-pound freight train with the feet of a ballet dancer. But the "when he's on the floor" part is exhausting. He missed time with a hip strain, then a hamstring thing. It’s the same script we’ve been reading since 2019.
There’s a lot of chatter about his future. National insiders like Sam Quinn are out here suggesting the Pelicans might actually waive him or look for a "toxic salary" dump. That feels reactionary, though. Lately, Zion has been healthy, playing in back-to-backs and dropping 30-plus like it’s nothing. He just put 31 on Washington and 22 on Orlando. He’s not the problem; the problem is that the team was built to rely on him being a 75-game-a-year guy, and he’s just not that.
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The reality? The Pelicans are stuck in a max-contract marriage where both partners are still trying to make it work, but they’ve already started sleeping in separate bedrooms.
Why Trey Murphy III is the Real Franchise Pillar
If you aren't paying attention to Trey Murphy III, you're missing the best part of this season. He is currently playing out of his mind. In January alone, he’s been averaging nearly 35 points a game. He had a 42-point explosion against the Lakers that made LeBron James look twice.
He’s 6'8", he’s shooting 42% from deep on massive volume, and he’s finally putting the ball on the floor. Teams are calling Joe Dumars every single day asking about Murphy’s availability. The Blazers, the Grizzlies—everyone wants a piece. But the Pelicans are holding firm. They know. You don't trade a guy who can shoot like Klay and jump like prime Vince Carter unless you’re getting a Hall of Famer back.
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The Rookie Spark: Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears
While the veterans are in and out of the trainer's room, the kids are actually alright.
- Derik Queen: This kid is a 6'9" revelation at center. He’s already got two triple-doubles this season. To put that in perspective, only him and Victor Wembanyama have done that as rookies in the last few years. He’s basically a point-center who rebounds like his life depends on it.
- Jeremiah Fears: Drafted 7th overall, Fears has stepped into the starting lineup because of the Dejounte Murray injury. He’s averaging 14.3 points and hasn't looked scared once. He plays with that "Jose Alvarado energy" but with way more natural scoring gravity.
The Dejounte Murray Curse
We have to mention Dejounte. The Pelicans traded a massive haul to get him from Atlanta, thinking he was the missing piece. Instead, he’s been a ghost. A non-contact Achilles tear in late January 2025 ended his first season in New Orleans after just 31 games. Now, in 2026, he still hasn't made his season debut.
Interim coach James Borrego says he’s "working his tail off," but "working your tail off" doesn't win games in the West. Without him, the backcourt has been a rotating door of Jordan Poole (who has been... let's say "unpredictable") and the rookies. The vision of a Murray-Zion-Ingram trio never really got to exist. It’s the ultimate "what if" in recent franchise history.
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What People Get Wrong About the Pelicans Rebuild
The biggest misconception? That this team needs to "blow it up." They’ve already blown it up!
- They traded Brandon Ingram to Toronto for a package including Bruce Brown and picks.
- They let Jonas Valančiūnas walk.
- They leaned into the youth movement with Yves Missi and Derik Queen.
This isn't a team trying to win 50 games and failing. This is a team that realized their old core had a ceiling made of glass, and that glass shattered. They are currently rebuilding around the pieces they already have. Keeping Herb Jones—the best wing defender in the league, period—is part of that. They’re refusing trade offers for him because you don't build a culture by selling your soul for more second-round picks.
Practical Steps for the Rest of the 2026 Season
If you're a fan or just following the league, here is what actually matters for the final 40 games of this season:
- Monitor the Derik Queen/Zion Chemistry: Can these two share the paint? Queen is a brilliant passer, which helps, but the spacing is tight. If they can find a rhythm, that’s your frontcourt of the future.
- The February 5 Trade Deadline: Watch the "veteran" market. If the Pelicans do move someone like Jordan Poole or even a healthy-ish Dejounte Murray, it signals they are going all-in on the 2026 Draft (which is loaded).
- Health as a Metric: Forget the wins. If Zion Williamson finishes the season playing 50+ games and Trey Murphy stays in the 50/40/90 conversation, this season is a success.
- The "Blender" Atmosphere: Watch how the rookies respond to the New Orleans crowd. Players like Yves Missi have flourished because the city embraces high-effort, "junk yard dog" styles of play.
New Orleans Pelicans basketball is currently a masterclass in patience. It’s frustrating, it’s messy, and the injury report is long enough to be a CVS receipt. But the talent in the building is real. When Murray eventually returns and the rookies lose their "rookie" mistakes, this 9-33 start will feel like a very distant memory. For now, just enjoy Trey Murphy's jumper. It’s the prettiest thing in the league.