Projected 2023-24 Finish:
Projected Regular Season Finish: 10th in the Western Conference
Expected Playoff Finish: Projected to lose in the play-in tournament and miss the playoffs
2023-24 Preseason NBA Power Ranking: 16

Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones have been some of the best draft picks in the New Orleans Pelicans’ team history.
(Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images, via Fansided’s King James Gospel)

NBA Draft History:

1st Round (2017-Present):

Zion Williamson (1st overall, 2019)
Jaxson Hayes (8th overall, 2019)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17th overall, 2019)
Kira Lewis Jr. (13th overall, 2020)
Trey Murphy III (17th overall, 2021)
Dyson Daniels (8th overall, 2022)
Jordan Hawkins (14th overall, 2023)

2nd Round (2017-Present):

Frank Jackson (31st overall, 2017)
Tony Carr (51st overall, 2018)
Didi Louzada (35th overall, 2019)
Herbert Jones (35th overall, 2021)
E.J. Liddell (41st overall, 2022)
Karlo Matkovic (52nd overall, 2022)

Best Draft Pick (2017-Present): Zion Williamson
Best 2nd Round Pick (2017-Present): Herbert Jones
Biggest Draft Day Steal (2017-Present): Herbert Jones
Notable Draft Busts (2017-Present): Kira Lewis Jr.

(Arguably, Kira Lewis can be considered a draft bust, but he’s also been hindered by injuries, and a case can be made that the jury may still be out on whether or not if he is or not. The biggest draft day steal was between Herbert Jones or Trey Murphy III, but we decided to go with Jones here.)

Past Season Reviews:

2020 New Orleans Pelicans (Season Grade: C-)
2021 New Orleans Pelicans (Season Grade: D+)
2022 New Orleans Pelicans (Season Grade: A-)

Past Season Previews:

2023 New Orleans Pelicans (Prediction: Lose in the play-in tournament, Result: Lost in the play-in tournament)
2024 New Orleans Pelicans (Prediction: Lose in the play-in tournament, Result: TBD)

Works Cited:
Basketball-Reference
No-Trade Clause
Salary Swish

Player ratings are subject to change as the season progresses. Thanks for reading.