3 reasons the New Orleans Pelicans are trending upward: 1. CJ McCollum
This is the most obvious place to start. The New Orleans Pelicans have looked a better team since trading for CJ McCollum just before the deadline. At the time, this was seen as a puzzling move, including by this writer (and this is your opportunity to give him stick for it). After all, as good as McCollum is, he’s never been an All-Star and didn’t exactly move the needle.
Even stranger was the fact that in the last couple of years the Pelicans had Jrue Holiday (better two-way player) and Lonzo Ball (higher upside guy who fit with their younger core), and let both of them go. Settling on McCollum fell somewhere in between both of those ways of thinking. A veteran who could help them win now, but who had more miles left than Holiday.
Yet in his 12 games so far, McCollum is averaging a ridiculous 27.1 points and 6.7 assists per game – both of which would be career highs. Shooting a shade under 40 percent from deep (with Williamson inside to dominate the glass once he returns) speaks to the ability of McCollum as well. Opponents know what to expect from him at this stage in his career, yet he’s scoring at a higher rate than ever before.
The Pelicans are 5-7 since acquiring McCollum and have lost three straight. Their most recent defeat to the Orlando Magic was ugly. But on the other hand, since adding McCollum the Pelicans have the seventh-best offensive rating in the league (116.8), and are learning quickly how to pile up points against all manner of opponents.
Their defensive rating has been above league average in that span as well (11th, 111.6), which shows that McCollum isn’t harming them too much on that end. They’ve just hit a rough part of their schedule (they’ve played the Memphis Grizzlies (twice), Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks in their last seven), and would be dead and buried if not for McCollum.