New Orleans Pelicans: Starting lineup locks, fringe, and potential break-ins

The New Orleans Pelicans are a young team looking to take that step forward. Who are the locks, fringe, and break-ins for the starting lineup?

The New Orleans Pelicans did not finish last season well. After the long layoff, the team came into the NBA bubble with their eyes fixed on a playoff berth. Instead star rookie Zion Williamson looked slow and out of shape, their role players couldn’t hit shots, and they stumbled to a 2-6 finish and missed out on the play-in game.

The offseason saw sweeping changes in response. Head coach Alvin Gentry was replaced by Stan Van Gundy, widely regarded as one of the best coaching options on the open market. The Pelicans let Derrick Favors walk in free agency, executing a sign-and-trade for Steven Adams. Perhaps most significantly, the team extracted a significant haul from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for sending out Jrue Holiday.

Add in a couple of fringe signings and first-round draft pick Kira Lewis Jr. and you have a roster that looks familiar but has some important changes. Whether or not this team is in the playoffs depends mainly on the development of Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but how this team’s young backcourt fits into place influences their decision-making next offseason.

The Pelicans have a stocked war chest of draft assets from other teams, meaning they don’t have to be bad to get strong draft picks. Stan Van Gundy was a coaching hire with an eye on competing now, even if the team will balance that with the long-term. With that in mind, who will start for this team? What other players could break into the starting lineup over the course of the year?