Media Day

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones' highlights vs. the Miami Heat from Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.

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Highlights: Herb Jones vs. Miami Heat 2/23/2024

Pelicans.com

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Photos: Pelicans Media Day 2023 Portraits Part 2

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Photos: Pelicans Media Day 2023 Portraits

Jim Eichenhofer

Approaching the halfway point of the 2022-23 regular season, the New Orleans Pelicans were raising eyebrows around the NBA, vaulting to the top of the Western Conference standings and doing so with flair, led by one of the sport’s most exciting young cores. But fast-forward nine months from that high-water mark, and the league’s daily conversation has shifted in a multitude of directions away from the Gulf South. Teams like Milwaukee and Boston followed up 50-win seasons with splashy summer trade acquisitions. Squads such as defending NBA champion Denver, Miami, Sacramento and New York are all coming off memorable postseason trips.

Meanwhile, after receiving a significant number of national TV appearances in recent years, the Pelicans were granted just six broadcasts (four on ESPN, two on TNT) when the NBA’s 2023-24 schedule was unveiled in August. Although New Orleans has displayed immense potential in bursts – a playoff berth in ’22, a winning record of 42-40 last season – the attention and spotlight from the rest of the basketball world isn’t quite as bright as it has been in the recent past. It sounds like the Pelicans have noticed.

“There was a bitter taste in the mouth of all of our players, the way we ended last year, with the injuries and we didn’t really get to show what we were capable of,” New Orleans GM Trajan Langdon said during Monday’s Media Day. “There are some chips on the shoulders of our players.”

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Trajan Langdon interview | 2023 New Orleans Pelicans Media Day

The most costly injury was to forward Zion Williamson, who earned his second NBA All-Star berth while playing in 29 of the team’s initial 37 games, but then was sidelined for the final 45 contests due to his right hamstring. As Langdon described of the Pelicans as a whole, the No. 1 overall draft pick from 2019 is now being fueled by the adversity he’s experienced in the 2023 calendar year.

“I think Z is coming in with an edge,” Langdon said. “Whenever you haven’t played for a while, the league kind of forgets about you, and can forget about the impact you can have on the game, and the success of your team. That’s what happens. You have teams that go on runs, make Finals appearances and teams win championships, and that’s where the focus goes. It doesn’t go toward teams that aren’t in the playoffs. I think that’s why our team is coming in with an edge this year, because we aren’t being talked about, which I think is good and we think is good. I think Z feels the same way. He’s going to come in with an edge, compete and try to really lift this team to one of the top teams in the Western Conference.”

“We have pieces that can be really dynamic and can win together,” Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said Monday. (But) they haven’t done a lot of (that). I think everyone understands that we have a lot to prove… to each other, on and off the court.”

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David Griffin interview | 2023 New Orleans Pelicans Media Day

With an 18-8 start and 9-3 close to the regular season, New Orleans provided glimpses of what it is capable of, but in between went just 15-29 amid numerous key injuries, resulting in a ninth-place finish in the West and a spot in the play-in tournament. The high-scoring trio of Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum appeared potent when it played together, but that consisted of just 10 games. The Pelicans are looking forward to seeing them – and hopefully the entire roster – on the floor more frequently this winter, especially after promising third-year forward Trey Murphy returns from knee surgery.

“That sample size is not a big one,” Langdon said of the minimal games as a group for the team’s starters last season. “For us, that’s an exciting piece (of the future). Hopefully we get those guys back, playing a lot more (together).”

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Willie Green interview | 2023 New Orleans Pelicans Media Day

“We fell short of our goal, and that’s the disappointing part of (last) season,” third-year head coach Willie Green said of not making the playoffs. “It was another step in the right direction, but we definitely feel like we have unfinished business.

“We’re all excited to get this group back on the floor. During the games all of our guys were healthy and played, it was fun to watch. That’s exciting, to see a larger scope of what we can do (this season).”

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Motivated Pelicans bring 'chips on shoulders' into 2023-24

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado's interview from New Orleans Pelicans Media Day ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Jose Alvarado interview | 2023 New Orleans Pelicans Media Day

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III's interview from New Orleans Pelicans Media Day ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Trey Murphy III interview | 2023 New Orleans Pelicans Media Day

New Orleans Pelicans General Manager Trajan Langdon's interview from New Orleans Pelicans Media Day ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green's interview from New Orleans Pelicans Media Day ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.

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