Best and worst case scenarios for the Pelicans in the 2024-25 NBA season

The New Orleans Pelicans will be a difficult team to predict. Your squad situation is unique. They are packed with top talent. With Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans have a core four that may be the greatest quartet in the entire league.

They also have some highly sought-after complementary players: defensive star Herb Jones, recently-extended sharpshooter Trey Murphy III and backcourt nuisance Jose Alvarado. They have seven players who, at worst, would be rotation players in most playoff times and, at best, would take over.

Nevertheless, the Pelicans are not one of the top candidates in the league. There are a variety of reasons for this, chief among them health concerns, a lack of depth and the complete lack of reliable center play. Vegas has its projected regular-season win total set at 45.5 games, and it's easy to see New Orleans falling on either side of that line. The oddsmakers typically aren't too far off, so the Pels will likely fall back to around 45-46 wins, but there are scenarios where they could do much better – and much worse.

Best-case scenario: 2024-25 NBA champions

Yes, there is a world in which the New Orleans Pelicans raise Larry O'Brien at the end of the league year. You have more than enough talent for it. Zion is undoubtedly one of the top 20 players in the league when he's available and could easily compete in the top 10 with another healthy season of continued development.

Dejounte Murray is a true two-way star when he's at his best and locked into the game. If he can return to his form in San Antonio as both a floor general and a point-of-attack stopper, he will significantly increase the Pelicans' ceiling on both ends of the court.

CJ McCollum is a true professional, the perfect veteran for this team and a true all-rounder when the going gets tough. Herb Jones is already one of the best defenders in the entire league and has an emerging offensive game that gives him credible star potential. Trey Murphy III is one of the best snipers in the entire league and is expanding his off-the-cuff game, which should be a scary sight for the rest of the NBA.

Unfortunately, Brandon Ingram can't be part of that picture unless vice president David Griffin somehow manages to get a starting center without trading Ingram. New Orleans is armed with a valuable trade chip and has a stockpile of draft assets that have yet to pick up the missing piece of the puzzle. It just depends on whether they are willing to pull the trigger and how well they can execute a deal if they do.

Worst-case scenario: Injury-plagued lottery team

As has been emphasized time and time again, the Pelicans are a team with injury concerns. Zion Williamson has been one of the least available players in the league since arriving from Duke. Brandon Ingram regularly missed 20 to 40 games per season. Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado are dealing with a slew of ailments.

With this team's roster and especially their lack of depth, New Orleans is just one season-ending injury away from disaster. The Western Conference is ridiculously crowded this season. There are at least 12 teams fighting for the playoffs, and each of them has a legitimate case for a postseason appearance. That doesn't even include the San Antonio Spurs or the Utah Jazz, both of which could suddenly decide to become playoff teams with a few strokes of luck and midseason moves.

Even if Zion can put together another healthy season, the Pelicans could end up at the bottom of the conference if their other players end up on the injured list too often.