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

Break-in candidates for the starting lineup

Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kira Lewis Jr.

The New Orleans Pelicans’ starters will certainly come from the group above, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have young talent that could develop into starters later in the season or by next year. The team has high hopes for Jaxson Hayes, drafted in 2019 to the Pelicans’ center of the future. Last season didn’t change that projection; he was always going to take a while to round into form as a late bloomer. The Pelicans brought in Steven Adams because they wanted to be better now; they still have hope in Hayes to replace Adams in the future.

The backcourt also has some intriguing young players. Last year they drafted Nickeil Alexander-Walker out of Virginia Tech as an offensively-gifted combo guard. Ideally, he will be able to grow into a 6th-man role sparking the offense off the bench. He has decent size and a smooth offensive game, so the outline of a good contributor is there. If he makes the leap and the team moves on from Eric Bledsoe or Lonzo Ball, he could also join the starting group.

The player with even more long-term upside is former Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. The Pelicans drafted him in the late lottery in November because he is brimming with talent. As one of the youngest sophomores in the country last year, younger than many freshmen, he led Alabama’s fast-paced offense and put up excellent numbers. His energy and scoring punch would be an excellent fit alongside a player such as Lonzo Ball who can defend and move the ball but lacks the offensive burst.

New Orleans doesn’t have to rush things; it has plenty of runway to turn the promise of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram into a championship contender. Those two young players are good enough now to start competing, but the franchise will also take the time to see what they have in their young talent as well. For now, look to see a couple of more experienced guards join Ingram, Williamson and Adams in the starting lineup.