Pelicans wing Naji Marshall has emerged as a bright spot as the team deals with injuries, Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes. Marshall has given New Orleans production in the absences of Josh Hart (thumb), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ankle) and Lonzo Ball (hip), doing so on a two-way contract.
“He’s putting it on the floor and making plays,” head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “He’s taking advantage of his opportunity. I like that. He’s doing a good job there. And we’ll continue to see what he does the rest of the year.”
Marshall signed with New Orleans after going undrafted last year. The 23-year-old is averaging 5.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 16.9 minutes in 16 games this season, shooting 38% from the floor. He most recently added 16 points on Saturday against Washington and 14 points on Thursday against New York.
Here are some other notes out of New Orleans tonight:
- Some rival executives believe the Pelicans could be open to a sign-and-trade involving Ball this offseason, as relayed by Brian Windhorst and Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com. “Unless they can trade (Eric) Bledsoe, they will probably be hard-pressed to re-sign both Lonzo and Hart,” one executive said. “They don’t pay the (luxury) tax.” The Pelicans and Hornets are the only franchises to never pay the luxury tax, Windhorst and Lopez note, with Ball and Hart set to become restricted free agents.
- Jaxson Hayes has gradually transitioned from question mark to keeper for New Orleans, Christian Clark writes in a separate story for NOLA.com. Hayes, 20, is averaging 6.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 14.8 minutes per game this season.
- William Guillory and John Hollinger of The Athletic examine the team’s salary-cap situation and upcoming offseason. In addition to Ball and Hart being restricted free agents, the team also has James Johnson and Willy Hernangomez set to enter unrestricted free agency, but most of its core will remain under contract.
Pelicans won’t make playoffs next year unless they trade at least 5 future first round picks
I like the trade value of 2025 Lakers First and 2027 Bucks
Davis is likely to be injury prone in 2025 and LeBron is not young in 2025
I’d trade Beal to Pelicans
Griffin started building his coffin when he hired Stan Van Gundy. Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson,…hell anyone would have been better, really.
With the exception of maybe Luka, Zion is the most compelling, youngest prospect since LeBron.
Yet New Orleans seems to be surrounding with crud. Adams and Bledsoe are disasters.
I think they move Ingram eventually. Ball and Hart are great fits with ZW but I don’t think they’ll pay both.
And Zion just needs to be their full-time PG.
You say it like it’s easy to just surround him with the perfect team. Jrue Holiday actively wanted out. Idk if Pelicans are really a destination. I want them to be a contender as much as anybody but let’s be patient, they’re still figuring things out.
Also as much as Ingram doesn’t seem to be a perfect fit, what team doesn’t want two superstars? I feel like there has to be a version that works. You need more than one guy scoring points.
Van Gundy, though. He needs to be gone– yesterday.
Yeah I mean the Jrue thing is interesting. I didn’t know he for sure wanted out – and I didn’t poo-poo (no pun intended) them getting a ransom of picks for him.
But a few months later, you have Bledsoe who is an active negative for this team, then a bunch of picks with who-knows value. The futures assets don’t look as great with Zion putting top 10 player like stats, and it looks like they’re stuck with Bledsoe. Adams was a self-inflicted wound.
Agreed on Van Gundy though – a good team around Zion may exist on this roster, but he’s not gonna find it – he’ll be playing Bledsoe-Adams-Zion lineups until 2025.
Play Zion at point forward, flank him with Ball, Hart, and Ingram – find another guy or two. But you know SVG won’t go that route.
Them giving Adams an extension made about as much sense as when they re-signed Ömer Aşik for 5 years back in 2015. Zion will continue to be stuck on a bad team just like KAT, and it’s only a matter of time before he demands a trade like AD did. Maybe Zion will be traded for KAT someday.
Yeah, the Adams thing is a head scratcher for sure. Comparing KAT to Zion though is like comparing a stinky little goose turd to an NBA player named Zion Williamson.
I know people like to trash Towns, but he’s really no worse than pre-injury Boogie. You put KAT on the 2019 Warriors instead of Cousins and they likely would have won their 4th championship in 5 years.
Yeah KAT’s surroundings in Minny have made Zion’s look luxurious. From overpaying Wiggins to now overpaying Russell, with the worst versions of Thibs and Butler in between.
A KAT trade seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.
All fair points. I was being hyperbolic, but at the same time if you’re picking one to build a franchise around I think the answer is obvious.
Pelicans will never be good till they get their real name back. New Orleans Jazz ….. SVG is not the answer. Both he and JVG should never coach again. NO should go and get DAntoni. He will build them thru their offense. They should trade Ball and Adams.
How about Adams and Zion to Utah for their team name.
But seriously though I…
Predict: one of: Ball for Markannon+protctdFirst, OR Hart to Detroit
Advise: Ingram+ Bledsoe for Markkanon
Hard to believe Jaxson won’t stick… no decline; TRB% and on/off improved, AST% down; Zion doing more handling should help leave more space.
Well, just dont let this naji guy walk away just like christian wood two years ago… well, it seems David Griffin is also overrated. Trading for Steven Adams is good, but only for salary cap opening next season. the moment they give him extensions, some of Pelicans hope is lost. They will stuck another 2 years with a center, who expensive and provide no spacing for zion.