It was a quiet offseason for the New Orleans Pelicans after they went 26-56 in 2025-26.
The team did make a coaching change, hiring former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley in May, but made little difference-making transactions to a squad that has won fewer than 30 games for two consecutive seasons. Rising sophomores Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears showed promise, and 2019 No. 1 draft pick Zion Williamson played in over 60 games for just the third time since being drafted.
But there are still more questions than answers for New Orleans: What will Williamson's availability be in 2026-27? Can Queen and Fears continue making leaps? How can the Pelicans claw themselves out of the Western Conference's weakest tier with virtually the same roster?
ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams.
Let's dive into the Pelicans, who may not see returns on their quiet summer until the start of the season:
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Offseason at a glance
Key additions: None
Key retentions: C DeAndre Jordan
Key subtractions: F Kevon Looney
Despite capturing a combined 47 wins over the last two seasons under executive vice president Joe Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver, the Pelicans clearly believe that internal growth is the best path forward. Perhaps that justifies a near-silent summer in which the hiring of new coach Jamahl Mosley turned out to be the team's most notable move. Mosley becomes New Orleans' third coach since Dumars took the helm in April 2025. In addition to drafting Jaron Pierre Jr. in the second round, New Orleans signed just two new players over the summer in Kobe Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson, while bringing back 14 of the 15 players from last season's squad. -- Michael C. Wright
Zach Kram's offseason grade: D
Does New Orleans know it has been able to make moves over the past few weeks? The Pelicans seem content to run it back with the same roster that went 26-56, as their only transactions of the summer have been declining Kevon Looney's team option and re-signing veteran mentor DeAndre Jordan, who played just 12 games last season, to a two-year deal.
New Orleans didn't even have rising sophomores Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen play at summer league, despite most other players in their draft range appearing in Las Vegas. -- Kram
What we learned this offseason
From Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: The Pelicans are banking on Jamahl Mosley.
Somebody nudge the Pelicans to make sure they're awake. Let's recap the summer so far: There were no new first-round picks, major free agency signings or significant trades, plus 2025 lottery picks Fears and Queen did not play at summer league. This level of roster continuity is usually reserved for aspiring championship contenders, but the Pelicans won 26 games last season and should seemingly be motivated to make changes.
Alas, New Orleans is apparently counting on Mosley to lift its fortunes. Mosley, who was fired by the Orlando Magic after three straight playoff trips, will seek to improve a Pelicans defense that ranked in the bottom 10 each of the past two seasons. There's reason for optimism on that front, as Mosley's Magic ranked in the top three during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
As he gets familiar with his new team, Mosley must sort through some obvious positional conflicts. Fears will be fighting for minutes and touches with Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole, while Queen and Zion Williamson feel awfully redundant. Will Mosley favor his veterans or his prospects? Or will the front office resolve some of these issues with overdue trades? -- Golliver
The big question: Will the quiet offseason pay off for New Orleans?
It's unlikely. But the front office's hesitancy to blow up the roster after a second consecutive season of failing to reach 30 wins makes sense here. The Pelicans are a talented group, but wildly inconsistent and injury-prone. Point guard Dejounte Murray played 14 games last season, coming back from a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered the year before.
Trey Murphy III returns from a breakout season in 2025-26 with career highs in scoring (21.5), rebounds (5.7), assists (3.8) and steals (1.5), while Williamson played 60-plus games for just the third time in his career. Fears and Queen produced strong rookie campaigns last season while Herbert Jones, once considered one of the league's best defenders, has regressed in each of the last two seasons. -- Wright
Basketball Power Index rank: No. 27
Here are the predicted Net Points per 100 possessions for the Pelicans' top seven players for the 2026-27 season:
It was about seven years ago that Williamson was at Duke and came from the paint to block a 3-pointer. The video went viral and NBA players noticed. As a result, when Williamson was the closest defender on a 3 as a rookie, players shot 15% worse than would be expected, one of the best numbers we've seen. It dropped to 5% worse the next year (per GeniusIQ), then he basically lost the effect ... until last year. So maybe Zion is back? -- Dean Oliver
Read about how Net Points works here.
Biggest X factor this season
Jones has lost his way a bit since a breakout 2023-24 season, when he earned a spot on the All-Defensive first team and made 42% of his 3-pointers. He has suffered from injuries and offensive regression (31% on 3s over the last two seasons) since, as the Pelicans fell from rising playoff team to lottery also-ran.
If Jones can regain his peak form in his age-28 season, he could either help boost the Pelicans back toward play-in territory or fetch some quality picks at the trade deadline. -- Kram
Fantasy insight from our experts
Pick to make ahead of the season: Jeremiah Fears
Fears finished his rookie season on a positive note, averaging 29.3 fantasy points in 26.1 MPG after the All-Star break. The 19-year-old's late-season growth should catch the attention of managers who may have focused only on his seasonlong numbers. The No. 7 pick in the 2025 NBA draft is a sleeper entering Year 2. -- Eric Moody