Where Jeremiah Fears in Pelicans Crowded Backcourt

One unit that's particularly loaded with talent is the guard room, which consists of a 20 point per game scorer in Poole, a former All-Star in Dejounte Murray, a playoff rotational piece in Jose Alvarado, 2023's No. 14 overall pick Jordan Hawkins and now 2025's No. 7 overall pick in Fears.

That's the point guard room alone, not even mentioning guys like Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and Peavy who occasionally slide down to the two-guard spot.

Each of the five point guards on the Pelicans roster are talented enough to warrant playing time in a consistent role, making the logjam at the position all the more confusing. New Orleans has invested notable assets into each of the players, be it fresh contracts, trade capital or a high draft selection.

So how can Fears see the court in his rookie season?

It's safe to say that at least for the start of the season, Poole and Murray will lead the pack in terms of minutes and usage. Both have proven as capable scorers and playmakers in large roles on playoff teams, and are the best of the bunch overall on day one. Barring injury, Fears probably won't be taking many of their minutes early on.

Where his primary competition lies is with Alvarado and Hawkins, as the trio fights for spots in the backup guard rotation. Alvarado's developed into a fan favorite and culture-setter over his four seasons in New Orleans, known for his scrappy defense and ability to get into opponents heads. In 24.4 minutes per game last season, he averaged 10.3 points and 4.4 assists per game, but shot just 39.2 percent from the field.

Hawkins was similar in regards to efficiency issues, as he put up 10.8 points per game on 37.2 percent field-goal shooting. The former lottery pick has shown ability to takeover stints with firey 3-point shooting, but the same can be said for his tendency to shoot the team out of games.

That being said, even with their flaws, it's hard to imagine the Pelicans giving up on both Hawkins and Alvarado quickly, as Fears will need to earn his role. It's a bit of a clunky fit, given Fears is certainly an on-ball prospect and won't be maximized alongside the two.

Either way, Fears star potential and high draft selection warrants him to have playing time just as much –– if not more –– as Alvarado and Hawkins. If Fears succeeds, he could carve out a potent sixth man role with a Pelicans squad looking to return to the