The winning recipe: how the small-market Pelicans became legit title contenders | New Orleans Pelicans

A lot has been made over the years of the raw deal offered to small-market NBA teams. The younger brothers of the league, they often get overlooked in favor of their flashier coastal franchise siblings. While I’ve always argued that a competent front office is the tried and true salve for this issue, as evidenced by Giannis Antetokoumpo’s loyalty (and delivery of a championship) to the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s verifiable that as far as national media coverage goes, smaller-name teams often don’t get their due.

One such team is the New Orleans Pelicans. I mentioned in my end-of-season wrap in June that I believed the future to be decidedly bright in Louisiana. With Zion’s long-awaited return to form on the court having even exceeded expectations so far, that looks to have been a sound prediction. But even with the team having perched themselves at or near the top of the Western Conference standings all year, many don’t seem to take them seriously as contenders. While, yes, the team hasn’t historically made much noise in the postseason, and doesn’t currently boast any NBA champions on its roster, there’s more than enough reason to believe that Nola won’t have to wait long to bring a Larry O’Brien to Bourbon Street. And that’s because of one simple fact: they already have all the ingredients that go into the recipe of a champion.

One or two superstars

The word “superstar” is polarizing. You’d be just as hard-pressed to find a definition for it that’s universally agreed upon as you’d be to settle upon a unanimous single player to win the “greatest of all time” argument. My personal definition, though, is someone who could reasonably be expected to be the best player on a championship contending team. And New Orleans, arguably, has two of them. The hype around Zion Williamson coming out of Duke (and even, before that, coming out of high school) was so feverish, it’s sort of unbelievable that he might end up being as good as people posited that he would be. But between his imposing frame and ever-escalating skill, it’s starting to seem a likelihood that Williamson will meet or exceed those expectations on his way to an MVP trophy or two in his time. Brandon Ingram, while currently injured, is another unique star player who’s shown that he can handle both a heavy offensive load and the bright lights of the postseason, and whose rare combination of height and skill has elicited warranted comparisons to a young Kevin Durant.

A strong veteran leader

It’s widely understood that a wise, seasoned veteran or two is important to the success of any NBA roster. I’d add that a wise, seasoned veteran who can still hoop is a more specific necessity in today’s NBA; mostly because it helps them command the respect of younger players in the locker room, but also because, with the caliber of talent in today’s game, every roster spot matters. There isn’t really room on a true contender for anyone who’s going to get played off the floor, especially in the trenches of the playoffs. The arrival of CJ McCollum, formerly of the Portland Trail Blazers, to the Pelicans last season marked what I believe to be the turning point for the franchise. He’s the perfect leader for the Pels’ young core, someone who has been through his fair share of playoff battles, but who is still motivated and hungry for more. Someone who, as president of the players’ union, has proven his stripes as a leader. And, perhaps equally importantly, someone who, historically, can get a damn bucket.

Hard-nosed role players

Championships are won in the margins. While it’s pretty much impossible to even ascend the mountaintop without a superstar or two in your arsenal, it really is the tough, competent role players stepping up and buying in that makes the difference in a seven-game series, particularly later in the playoffs when only other very good teams are left standing. Some of the best of these play for New Orleans, including defensive savant Herbert Jones, quickly ascending rookie Dyson Daniels, and one of the most impassioned and persistent defenders in the league, Jose Alvarado.

A great coach

One of my favorite futures coming out of Vegas this summer was Willie Green for coach of the year. While he’s currently in second place to Joe Mazulla, the Celtics’ overachieving last-minute replacement coach, there will be a very good case for him to take home the hardware if New Orleans stays near the top of the West all season long. Green is one of those universally liked figures in the league, a steadying presence who is savvy with both Xs and Os, and, more importantly, with human beings. While still early on in his career as the head honcho on an NBA bench, he’s the kind of leader that brings the best out of his players because they genuinely like and respect him. Also, he’s a nimble and confident director who has proven he is not afraid to make adjustments and get creative when it’s needed.

Continuity and chemistry

I delved deeper into this phenomenon when discussing the sorry state of the Minnesota Timberwolves, but team chemistry is perhaps the most important ingredient in a winning NBA recipe. While it’s theoretically possible to luck into this winning alchemy when putting new parts together, there really aren’t any proven shortcuts to achieving it: cultivating chemistry takes time. As evidenced in other above-.500 teams like Memphis, Boston and Denver, slow and steady really does win the race when it comes to putting together a team that gels. New Orleans hit the reset button when it traded away its biggest star in Anthony Davis to the Lakers in 2019, and since then, has been patiently assembling and cultivating an incredibly solid young core. Yes, they lucked out with the No 1 overall pick in Williamson that same year, but the relative continuity since that point might really be the secret sauce.

A competent front office

Of course, the unspoken, ephemeral ingredient of the championship-caliber team recipe is the least sexy one: and that’s a competent front office. While there were doubts about some of New Orleans’ moves under general manager Trajan Langdon and executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin – especially in the immediate aftermath of the Anthony Davis trade – many of their choices have made more sense in hindsight. And more important, they’ve shown a willingness to correct missteps (especially in the coaching space, after the misguided hiring of Stan Van Gundy). I wouldn’t put the Pelicans ownership and front office among the upper-most tier in the league, but they don’t seem to be actively encumbering their team’s progress. And unfortunately that could qualify as overachieving in an NBA overrun with meddling suits who unwittingly poison-pill their franchises with regularity.

Yes, the Pelicans will face some formidable foes on their quest for a title. The weaker-than-usual West still requires going through Kawhi Leonard, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, the red-hot Devin Booker, and high-flying phenom Ja Morant, among others. And the East looks, in many ways, better than ever, with Boston, Milwaukee and Cleveland all looking like serious threats. But don’t write off the Pelicans, a bona fide contender with a creole-seasoned winning recipe that looks here to stay.