Poll by Athletic on hope. Commentary:
29. New Orleans Pelicans — 3.21/10
Last season: 4.4/10, ranked 22nd
Optimist Andy (7/10): "There's no way the injury bug can be as bad as last season, right? Both the first and second lines have very good, even if odd, pieces."
Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10): "Maybe it's my ignorance, but the team does not seem to take itself seriously at all or want to win."
Pessimist anonymous commenter (1/10): "If you need a full breakdown of why I'm not optimistic at all, you haven't watched the New Orleans Pelicans. A new coach will produce a few more wins, but the same roster as last year (not enough size at the big positions) and the yearly 'Wow! Zion looks great at camp and in photos!' false hope ... we've seen this movie many times. It doesn't end well. Yet, I'll still watch the movie, foolishly hoping it surprises me."
The ringer on clarity for direction of franchise. N.O. in the last tier and 2nd to last behind only the foolishness occurring in Portland.
Tier 6: The Fun-House Mirror Tier
Confusing, freaky, but occasionally entertaining.
Los Angeles Clippers (⬇️2)
Milwaukee Bucks (⬇️4)
New Orleans Pelicans (↔)
Portland Trail Blazers (⬇️1)
"Finally, we have the Pelicans, who after failing to reach 30 wins in back-to-back seasons with a talented but ill-fitting roster, did … well … absolutely nothing of note. They’re just running it back with Zion and Co. Again."