The wildly optimistic New Orleans Pelicans have spent years searching for the right on-court chemistry around various All-Stars. Lineups have been shuffled, roles have been redefined, and offensive identities have been rewritten around disappointing news stories.
There hasn't been many wins for fans of the New Orleans Pelicans to celebrate this season. On Friday night, though, the team notched its ninth victory of the 2025-26 season, improving the group's record to 9-31.
Derik Queen is choosing optimism as the New Orleans Pelicans stare down a pivotal stretch of the 2025–26 NBA season. Speaking after an encouraging win on Friday, the Pelicans forward voiced strong belief in the group’s chemistry and its ability to flip the narrative over the final 42 games.
Much to the chagrin of their fanbase, the New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly standing pat at the trade deadline, at least in terms of their most valuable players.
Trey Murphy III scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the third quarter, and Zion Williamson dominated at times in both halves, finishing with 31 points as the New Orleans Pelicans decisively ended their nine-game losing streak with a 128-107 win over the Washington Wizards.
Part of what makes the NBA, or any pro sports league, so compelling to watch is the narratives, especially those centered on rivalries. Throughout the decades, the NBA has fostered a number of rivalries, some long-lasting and others short but sweet.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie center Derik Queen crossed Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and San Antonio Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama off his list of players he’s excited to face in his first NBA season.
It makes sense why the New Orleans Pelicans aren’t keen on giving up talent. After all, they do have the worst record in the Western Conference (8-31).
The Pelicans are signaling stability ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, New Orleans is rebuffing trade inquiries on Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III, telling teams all three will remain with the club through the deadline.
In the summer of 2024, the New Orleans Pelicans followed up the 49-win season and a playoff appearance with a trade for Dejounte Murray. The All-Star combo guard was supposed to be a seamless fit next to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to take the Pelicans to another level.
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Chicago Bulls are two franchises at a crossroads, making them the perfect, if unlikely, trade partners before next month’s deadline.
When a college star goes first overall in the NBA draft, he walks into the league with high hopes. The franchise that picks him entrusts a lot of responsibilities to him; the primary one is pushing the team towards a championship.
Moving on from a franchise cornerstone is no longer unthinkable in today’s NBA. The Dallas Mavericks did it with Luka Doncic, the Atlanta Hawks did it with Trae Young, and now the New Orleans Pelicans face a similar crossroads with Zion Williamson.
Critics of today’s NBA sometimes claim the players simply do not know their history. However, Trey Murphy III broke that mold right after getting called up during the NBA Draft.