Pelicans' Hot Streak Shouldn't Redeem Joe Dumars & Front Office

The New Orleans Pelicans are 11-6 in their last 17 games and 14-10 in their last 24. They are no longer the laughingstock of the league and have been surprisingly competitive over the last month. Their last two losses were both one-possession games, suggesting that the Pels could be even better than their record. In fact, per Cleaning the Glass, the Pelicans have won 3.4 games fewer than what would be expected of them based on their net rating.

It's certainly a positive development that the Pelicans are giving their fanbase something to cheer for. The recent wins over the Raptors and the Clippers at the Smoothie King Center were important for the team to build momentum going forward.

Pelicans Front Office Doesn't Deserve Any Credit for the Late Surge

At the same time, this recent stretch of wins shouldn't redeem the Pelicans front office. The nice late-season surge shouldn't distract us from the horrible job Joe Dumars, Troy Weaver & Co. have done in charge.

First of all, it's important to note that it's significantly easier to win games at this stage of the season if you are not actively tanking. There are four teams in each conference that are trying to lose every game that they play. Six of the Pelicans' last ten wins came against these teams.

One of the main reasons the Pelicans are winning this much is that they are trying very hard. And the reason they are trying so hard is the fact that they owe their first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks because of the disastrous trade Dumars and Weaver made last offseason. Instead of maximizing their lottery odds like the rest of the non-playoff teams, the Pelicans are trying to save face by avoiding giving up a top-three pick to the Hawks. The difference between winning 20 and 30 games is certainly not worth not having a lottery pick in the draft.

It's not like the Pelicans are winning because of any moves this front office made. Their prized offseason acquisition, Jordan Poole, is completely out of the rotation. Kevon Looney, who this front office decided to pay $8 million this season for some reason, hasn't played in months. Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have lost their starting spots in favor of older players. The Pelicans' success is being driven by the veterans who are playing over 30 minutes per game.

The Pelicans didn't move on from any valuable veterans other than Jose Alvarado at the trade deadline. Instead of trying to accumulate draft picks and future assets, the Pels decided to stand pat so that they can finish 11th in the Western Conference. The fear is that this fool's gold of a stretch will convince the front office that they are on the right track. This could mean that the Pelicans start next season with the same core, which will inevitably lead to disappointment.

This isn't to say that there aren't positives to take away from this stretch. The way Dejounte Murray has been playing is highly encouraging. Zion Williamson's availability is an excellent sign for the future. Saddiq Bey's emergence as a high-level role player could be important for the Pelicans next season. These players and the coaching staff deserve a ton of credit for staying together and fighting until the end. Let's just make sure the incompetent front office doesn't get any credit for something they had no hand in.