With 49 victories and seventh place in the Western Conference, New Orleans had a very solid regular season. But between the injury of Zion Williamson and the “sweep” received against the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, this exercise ends with a bitter taste for the Pelicans.
So much effort was made and as the interior was forfeited at the worst of times, Willie Green's men were not able to fight with all their weapons. What to take from all this? Is the glass half empty or half full?
“I think that the 49 successes could have led us to think that we could go far in the playoffs,” assures David Griffinthe vice president of the franchise. “For long parts of the season, we looked like the best team in the league, after Boston. In other sequences of the season, we saw that we had room for improvement, that progress was necessary. Unfortunately, we had injuries and a major one at the worst time. But there are a lot of positives to take from the season, even if the ending is unfortunate. We showed at times what we could be but too often in fits and starts, which is disappointing. »
“There are teams who did not make the playoffs who will radically progress this summer. We must do the same »
Injuries have deprived New Orleans of a better destiny. Shouldn't we therefore start again with this same group, to give it another chance and thus confirm this great regular season in 2024/25? This is not the route David Griffin seems to want to take.
“In the past, we always erred on the side of continuity and we always thought that we needed to see this group in good health. We have seen enough of this group,” says the leader. “We had a good opportunity to see Zion play his career best (70 matches), we have seen enough things to know that we have work to do. »
Does this mean that, without certain adjustments, the Pelicans will not be able to have such a good season again at the start of the school year? “Because the Western Conference is very good, there are teams who did not make the playoffs who will radically progress this summer,” announces David Griffin, who is thinking of Sacramento and Golden State. “We have to do the same. There is an urgent need to act in this direction. »
Things are said: there will be change this summer in New Orleans. “Our base, our core is very good. We are coming out of a series of playoffs where a very good team dominated the debates and made us believe that we had won 9 matches and not 49. The reality is that we won 49 matches and made lots of good things. Let's take the time to evaluate this group. But I want to be very, very clear: no complacency this summer. It's time to get better.”, announces the vice-president of the Pelicans. It remains to be seen how to achieve this…
