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Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Okogie, Kornet, Mavs

November 12th, 2025 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans‘ first 10 games of the 2025/26 season have gone about as poorly as they could have, according to William Guillory of The Athletic, with star forward Zion Williamson sidelined due to another hamstring injury and Willie Green‘s hold on his head coaching job looking tenuous.

As Guillory writes, even when the 2-8 Pelicans have been relatively healthy, things haven’t gone according to plan — the trio of Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herbert Jones has a net rating of -11.3 during their 75 minutes on the court together.

Lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen have been two of the only reasons for optimism in New Orleans so far, Guillory continues. Fears has shown off his ball-handling skills and his ability to make things happen in open-court situations while improving as a decision-maker in pick-and-roll scenarios. Queen, meanwhile, has acted at times as the team’s offensive hub and has scored double-digit points in each of his last four games despite playing a relatively modest role (23.5 MPG).

Guillory also singles out offseason trade addition Saddiq Bey as a bright spot for the Pelicans in the early going, observing that the veteran forward has played better in his return from an ACL tear than Jordan Poole has through three weeks. The duo was acquired from Washington in a summer deal that sent out CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk.

Things won’t get any easier for the Pelicans in the near future, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com, who writes that the team is about to begin a five-game home stand against Western Conference opponents that includes matchups with the Lakers, Warriors, Thunder, and Nuggets.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

In an offseason that saw the Rockets acquire players like Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela, minimum-salary free agent addition Josh Okogie flew under the radar. However, he has emerged as a valuable part of the team’s rotation, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Okogie has started seven of nine games and Houston is 6-1 in those starts. “He has the same DNA as the guys that we brought in initially and (does) some of what Dillon (Brooks) did, and Dorian, Jae’Sean (Tate), those guys,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “His defensive versatility, offensive rebounding, being able to knock down those shots, it’s what we need at that position. Takes the pressure off Amen (Thompson), and so he’s a guy you can kind of plug in with all these different lineups, and adds more to our depth than just versatility on defense.”
After missing seven games due to ankle and shoulder injuries, Spurs center Luke Kornet had a big game in his return on Monday, scoring 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds in a win over Chicago. The Kornet/Victor Wembanyama pairing playfully known as “French Vanilla” came up big down the stretch and now has a +23.0 net rating in three games together, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) details. “It’s good to have him back,” Wembanyama said. “There are not a lot of shot-blockers like him in the league. It’s always good to play with Luke.”
Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) considers what’s next in Dallas following the dismissal of general manager Nico Harrison, suggesting that trades involving Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving could take some time to materialize even if the Mavericks are open to moving them. Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) also examines the challenges facing new co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who take over a team that lacks draft assets and features several underachieving veterans.

Cade Cunningham, Nikola Jokic Named Players Of Week

November 10th, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, while Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been chosen as the Western Conference Player of the Week, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Cunningham led Detroit to four consecutive wins during the week of November 3-9 while averaging 31.0 points and 9.8 assists per game on 54.7% shooting. This marks the second time in his career that Cunningham has received a Player of the Week award.

Jokic also led his team to a 4-0 week, with home victories over Sacramento, Miami, Golden State, and Indiana. The three-time MVP averaged a triple-double, with 31.3 points, 13.3 assists, and 11.3 rebounds per contest. His biggest game of the week came last Wednesday against the Heat, when he racked up 33 points, 16 assists, 15 rebounds, and three steals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were the other Eastern Conference nominees.

Devin Booker (Suns), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Julius Randle (Timberwolves) and Alperen Sengun (Rockets) were also nominated in the West.

Pelicans Notes: H. Jones, Queen, Murphy

November 9th, 2025 at 4:29pm CST by Rory Maher

Former second-round pick Herbert Jones signed a three-year, $68MM extension with the Pelicans over the summer. The 27-year-old forward is now under contract through 2029/30, including a player option for the final season.

In an interview with Grant Afseth of RG.org, Jones says he’s worked to become a more vocal leader for New Orleans, particularly on offense.

“I think most of my growth has come through just being more vocal and telling guys what I see — not necessarily scoring more points, but coming from a defensive-minded guy, telling guys what I see on the offensive end that we might be able to capitalize on,” Jones said. “If the defense is doing something, I can see it and try to give our guys something to beat it.”

Through nine games (30.1 minutes per contest) this season, the 2023/24 All-Defensive member is averaging 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals on .449/.450/.667 shooting. Jones tells Afseth he’s very high on the team’s group of rookies, which is headlined by lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

“Their competitive nature,” Jones said with a smile. “There’s never a day that goes by that we don’t compete. Whenever we do, those guys show up and don’t back down from anything. You gotta love that.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Speaking of Queen, the ex-Maryland big man has put together an impressive string of games lately, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. During Tuesday’s victory over Charlotte — the Pelicans’ first win of the season — Queen notched 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the fourth quarter, the first player to record such a stat line in any quarter since the NBA started play-by-play tracking in 1996/97. The 20-year-old also impressed Spurs legend Tim Duncan during Saturday’s loss at San Antonio, Walker adds. During the game, which Duncan attended, the five-time champion sent a text message to Pelicans analyst (and Duncan’s former teammate) Antonio Daniels that read, “I really like that Queen guy.”
After a slow start to the season, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III had a huge night on Saturday against the Spurs, Walker notes. Murphy, who is in the first season of a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension, tied a career-high by scoring 41 points (on 15-of-22 shooting) while also contributing nine rebounds and three assists in the defeat. “It was great and we needed it from him,” head coach Willie Green said. “He scored on every level tonight. He got to the free throw line. He got to the paint. He shot the ball well. He rebounded the ball well, something that we’ve been talking about. We can see him starting to implement it.”
In case you missed it, you can find all the latest updates on New Orleans — including Jordan Poole‘s quad injury and Zion Williamson‘s reported trade value (or lack thereof) — on our Pelicans team page.

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Butler, Curry, Green

October 22nd, 2025 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After free agency negotiations between the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga dragged on for the entire offseason amid questions about the forward’s place in Golden State’s lineup (and future), Kuminga looked like a natural fit in the first game of the season on Tuesday, contributing 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in a victory over the Lakers.

Kuminga, who had career averages of 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in his first four NBA seasons, said after the game that he’s committed to finding ways to help the team beyond his scoring, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.

“It was just one of my goals coming into this year,” Kuminga said. “Just trying to be on the boards as much as I can. And guarding the best players. The main thing moving forward is just getting better and doing that every day. When my shots are not falling, just find a way to impact the game. Doing the small things that matter. I’m gonna have my moment when they’re gonna need me to go out and score.”

Kuminga’s most productive stretch of the night came in the third quarter, when he scored 13 of his points and made a trio of three-pointers. However, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, his teammates were talking after the game about a key offensive rebound late in the fourth quarter that set up a Stephen Curry dagger to seal the victory.

“That rebound is what everyone in the world has been waiting to see,” Draymond Green said. “You have that athleticism, you go make big plays. You have superstar potential, you go make big plays. Those are game-winning plays. When you ask for opportunity, you must deliver. He’s been very vocal about his opportunity, and he delivered.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game that he thinks Kuminga has “really, really matured” and noted that Jimmy Butler‘s leadership has been a factor. “(Kuminga’s) had a great camp,” Kerr said, according to Thompson. “We’ve had some really good conversations. I think he has a better understanding of what we need. “I think he just has a better sense of what’s needed now compared to past years, and I think Jimmy has really helped him, too. Jimmy has talked to him a lot during camp, he’s taken him aside after practices.”
A belief that Curry’s heavy workload in the first round of last season’s playoffs contributed to the hamstring injury he sustained early in round two is one key reason why Kerr will make it a greater priority than ever to manage the star guard’s workload in 2025/26, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. “(Warriors head of player health and performance) Rick Celebrini shared that with me,” Kerr said. “I asked him (about the possible correlation), and he said, ‘Absolutely. One hundred percent.’ So we have to try to keep the minutes down as best we can.” According to Amick, the goal within the organization is to have the team’s older veterans (Curry, Butler, and Green) top out around 34 minutes on a given night.
Although Kuminga is widely considered an in-season trade candidate, Amick suggests there aren’t many players expected to be available whom the Warriors would want to move him for. According to Amick, Pelicans sharpshooter Trey Murphy III is a name that “continues to circulate” as a potential target, but there has been no indication New Orleans wants to move Murphy, who is in the first season of a four-year contract.
Butler’s opening night performance – including a game-high 31 points – served as a reminder of why the Warriors need him, and vice versa, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. In Butler, the Warriors have another “alpha” who benefits from the defensive attention that Curry commands. “Everybody pays attention to Steph,” Butler said. “I got the easy job.”

Southwest Notes: Zion, Bey, Alvarado, DSJ, Spurs

October 5th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

Zion Williamson was limited to just 30 games last season for health reasons, while Trey Murphy‘s year came to an early end due to shoulder surgery. So it was a very encouraging sign for the Pelicans that Williamson (15 points) and Murphy (18 points) were their leading scorers in their preseason opener. New Orleans became the first NBA team to play a game in Australia, winning an exhibition contest over Melbourne United on Friday.

“It was electric,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said, per Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “The fans were in tune. They were engaged. It was a really great platform to come here and play high-level competition.”

Green lauded Williamson for his defensive activity after he picked up a pair of steals on Friday. That effort on the defensive end was on display again on Sunday as the Pelicans won their matchup against the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Williamson scored just eight points, but racked up nine rebounds (eight defensive), three steals, and two blocks in 15 minutes of action en route to a 127-92 win.

As good as Williamson was, it was new Pelican Saddiq Bey who stole the show in Sunday’s victory. Bey, who hasn’t played a regular season game since March 2024 due to an ACL tear, had 21 points in 21 minutes, knocking down four three-pointers and registering a game-high +27 plus-minus mark.

“I am just grateful to be out here,” Bey said in a post-game interview, according to Walker. “The opportunity to play in Australia is is a blessing.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado departed Sunday’s game in the third quarter due to an apparent right leg injury, Walker notes. Green said after the game that Alvarado will be reevaluated when the team returns home to New Orleans.
Within an extensive breakdown of takeaways from the Mavericks‘ training camp, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal writes that head coach Jason Kidd praised Dennis Smith Jr. as a camp standout, lauding his “energy.” Smith is on a non-guaranteed contract and has an uphill battle to earn a regular season roster spot, but it sounds like he’s doing all he can to make his case.
After spending most of last season in the role of “acting” Spurs head coach, Mitch Johnson has the permanent title heading into 2025/26. Running a training camp for the first time, he has made an effort to implement his own style while carrying over many of the lessons he learned from longtime San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News details (subscription required). “(Last season) we were all just trying to maintain what was already going on, the things we put in during training camp, the principles we had,” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said. “Coming into this year, there’s just building blocks that will be different that (Johnson) can say, ‘OK look, I have full ownership of the things that are going on.'”

Pelicans’ Jones, Murphy Expected To Be Ready For Season Opener

September 22nd, 2025 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forwards Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III have been back on the court at full strength and full speed in recent weeks and are on track to be available when the team’s regular season tips off next month, executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via sideline reporter Erin Summers).

Jones and Murphy both had their 2024/25 campaigns cut short due to shoulder injuries. Jones underwent surgery in February to repair a torn right rotator cuff, while Murphy suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff in March that also required surgery.

The Pelicans didn’t provide a specific return timeline for either player last winter, so it was unclear whether their recoveries might extend into the fall and cost them the start of the 2025/26 season. Based on Dumars’ comments today, it doesn’t sound like that’s a concern, which is good news for a team coming off a season that was derailed by injuries.

Jones, who made the NBA’s All-Defensive first team in 2024, was limited to just 20 games in 2024/25. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in a career-high 32.4 minutes per night, but didn’t play after January 8. The Pelicans still consider him an important part of their future, however, and signed him to a three-year, $68MM extension in July.

Prior to his season-ending injury, Murphy was on track for a career year after signing a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension last fall. His 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in 53 outings (51 starts) all represented career highs, and he posted a solid shooting line of .454/.361/.887 while increasing his volume.

Although Jones and Murphy are expected to be ready for the start of the season, that doesn’t necessarily mean New Orleans will be at full strength this fall. It doesn’t sound as if guard Dejounte Murray (Achilles tear) and rookie forward Derik Queen (wrist surgery) are as far along in their respective recovery processes. Dumars said today that their rehabs are going well but that there’s no update at this time on when they’ll be available (Twitter link via Summers).

Warriors, Spurs Interested in Trey Murphy III

August 22nd, 2025 at 5:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Warriors remain locked in a contract standoff with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, but that hasn’t kept them from poking around the league for upgrades on the trade market. One name that has come up in their search, writes Jake Fischer for The Stein Line, is Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.

Fischer says the Warriors approached the Pelicans about Murphy this summer. However, he notes that New Orleans has turned away offers for the recently-turned 25-year-old, who is coming off a breakout year that saw him score 21.2 points per game after averaging 14.6 PPG over the previous two years.

Murphy, who is on a favorable contract (four years, $112MM), is a 6’8″ wing who can shoot (career 38.3% from three), defend at a solid level, and has shown flashes of self-creation. The Warriors have placed a premium on shooting, as illustrated by Fischer’s report that they have refused to consider sign-and-trade offers that would force them to part with either Moses Moody or Buddy Hield, two of the team’s top marksmen outside of Stephen Curry.

Fischer adds another name to the list of potential suitors for Murphy: the Spurs. According to Fischer, San Antonio has also registered trade interest in the athletic wing.

Murphy would be a clean fit with the Spurs, who could use a big wing shooter to complement guards De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle – an extremely talented trio that doesn’t feature a reliable outside shooter – as well as versatile forward Jeremy Sochan.

However, all the reasons teams such as the Spurs and Warriors are interested in Murphy’s services are also reasons the Pelicans would be reluctant to part with him. That’s especially true given the uncertainty surrounding Zion Williamson, both in terms of his long-term health and off-court allegations. Murphy, the recently extended Herb Jones, and Jose Alvarado have been on the team longer than anyone outside of Williamson, and Murphy’s game has grown tremendously in that time.

Joe Dumars Unfazed By Criticism Of Controversial Moves

July 15th, 2025 at 9:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans’ new executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars has already made a number of eye-opening moves. He gave up CJ McCollum in a trade with the Wizards that brought Jordan Poole to New Orleans. He also traded up in the draft, giving up an unprotected 2026 pick in the process, to nab Maryland big man Derik Queen at the No. 13 spot.

Dumars took heat for those decisions, especially the latter. He told ESPN’s Marc J. Spears in an Andscape interview he doesn’t care about the backlash.

“I don’t mind the criticism. People say they don’t mind. But I really don’t mind,” Dumars said. “When you’re running a franchise, you make a determination of what you think you need to start growing your franchise. The opportunity presented itself that we could get two lottery picks, and to do that, you’re going to have to give up something. We gave up what we thought it would take to get these two lottery picks and we did.”

Dumars chose to return to his home state and take on the task of running a Pelicans franchise stuck in mediocrity. Dumars declined the vice president of basketball operations jobs with the Kings and Suns, according to Spears, but felt the New Orleans offer was “right place, right time, right people.”

Dumars addressed a wide range of topics in the interview. Here’s some of the highlights:

On the Poole acquisition:

“If you look around the league now, it’s almost a requirement to have high-level guard play, dynamic guard play. Jordan has a skillset that matches the most dynamic guards in this league. We’ve also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level. So, with his skill set, he’s a dynamic guard and I know we have proof that he’s helped teams win championships.”

On how he approached the roster after taking the job:

“I felt the core guys like Zion (Williamson), Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and Dejounte Murray, I thought that was a really good group of guys all around the age of 25 years old. I looked at it from there and said, ‘OK, we need to build out and how do we complement each other?’ I thought the core was really good there and I thought if you have a good core, let’s build out around that core with the type of players that we need.

“And I thought Jordan Poole was a dynamic guard. I thought that Saddiq Bey was the perfect guy to come off the bench and add depth to your team. I thought that (free agent acquisition Kevon) Looney was the perfect guy for a team full of guys who were 25, 26 years old.”

On his relationship with Williamson:

“He and I have had some incredible conversations. We are in constant contact with each other. I’ve talked to him about the responsibility of being great and the responsibility of being a leader, of being a captain, of being the best player, of being the face of a franchise. I’ve talked to him about how all of those things come with responsibility and how it’s time now at 25 years old to embrace those responsibilities.”

On why he left his job with the league office to become a team executive again:

“I loved my job at the NBA. I didn’t like it. I loved it. And I always said it would have to take something special for me to leave, otherwise I wouldn’t. And so, this was what I considered special to be able to come back, run the Pelicans in New Orleans with quite frankly a lot of people I knew in the organization and outside the organization. That’s what made it special for me to say that I would leave the NBA and take this job because I really enjoyed working at the league office.”

Southwest Notes: Flagg, Harper, Morant, Murphy, Peavy

July 13th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The top two picks in this year’s draft put on a show for Summer League fans as they matched up Saturday in Las Vegas, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg thrilled the crowd with a few highlight dunks on his way to 31 points, while Spurs guard Dylan Harper countered with 16 points in his Summer League debut after recovering from a minor groin injury.

“[There’s] not a better time to come back [than] in a game like this and a crowd as electrifying as this,” Harper said. “He had a good game. I had a good game. We kind of just showed the NBA world what we’re about.”

Saturday’s matchup should be the beginning of a long rivalry for Flagg and Harper. Considered to be the top two prospects in this year’s class by a wide margin, they wound up joining teams with established talent already in place when Dallas and San Antonio both defied the odds at the lottery. They’ll meet four times a year as division opponents and may have a few playoff matchups in their future.

“We’re going to play them a lot this year,” Harper said. “So, the future battles are going to be great. One thing that we’ve both got: We’re just competitors. We’re going to go out and compete.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant said he was surprised by the trade of longtime backcourt partner Desmond Bane and addressed a few other topics in an interview with Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (subscriber link). “I was shocked, personally,” Morant said. “I got the message from Des. To see it all over the internet, I thought the (expletive) was fake, honestly. It’s best for both sides. Des is going to a very talented Orlando team. I feel like he’s the piece that they’ve been missing.” Morant added that the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the trade and Ty Jerome in free agency should make Memphis a better team.
Appearing Saturday on ESPN, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy provided an update on his progress since undergoing surgery in late March for a torn labrum in his right shoulder (Twitter video link from Pelicans Film Room). “I feel pretty good,” Murphy said. “I have started up my skill workouts. I am able to do things without restriction. Just waiting to get cleared for contact.”
X-rays were negative for an ankle injury suffered by Pelicans rookie shooting guard Micah Peavy, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-round pick was held out of Saturday’s game.

Pelicans’ Joe Dumars Talks Injuries, Goals, Roster

June 6th, 2025 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

When Joe Dumars was introduced as the Pelicans‘ new executive vice president of basketball operations in April, he spoke about wanting to “find out what’s happening” with the team’s injury situation, given the series of health issues that have plagued the team in recent years.

In an interview this week with Rod Walker of The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Dumars was asked what he has learned on that subject since joining the franchise. According to the new head of New Orleans’ front office, some of those injuries were “flukes,” but he’s hopeful that in some instances there are things the team can improve in order to reduce a player’s injury risk.

“We’ve went back over every one of the injuries that happened to every player here and tried to decipher and find out which ones were flukes and which one of these could have been internal that we could have done better,” Dumars said. “We’ve assessed every single injury to every single player. What could we have done better? Is there something we could have done better?

“We are continuing to have those conversations because these guys are in rehab now. So we’re meeting every week on the rehab that’s going on. Are we on top of this? When are we sending somebody to see this guy? It’s real comprehensive what we’re doing as far as medicals because what’s been shown is if this team is healthy, it’s a team that can compete. So that becomes critical to make sure we are doing everything we can to put the healthiest team out there on the floor.”

Dumars’ remarks about players being “in rehab” are presumably a reference to guys like Dejounte Murray, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy. Murray is coming off a torn Achilles, while Jones and Murphy are recovering from shoulder surgeries. Dumars said there was “nothing to report” on the trio, per Walker, adding that all three are on schedule in their recovery timelines.

Kelly Olynyk and Brandon Boston are among the other Pelicans players who have undergone surgical procedures in recent months.

As we relayed earlier this week, Dumars expressed to Walker that Zion Williamson remains in the Pelicans’ plans going forward and also spoke about head coach Willie Green. Here are a few more highlights from the veteran executive’s conversation with the Times-Picayune:

On Dumars’ goals for the Pelicans:

“We want to win. We want to be a team that’s viewed around the NBA not only as a winning team, but we want to also be viewed as a first-class organization. … That’s about how you come in every day and do things and how you go about your work every day. How you treat people. How we do things here in this building. All of that is important.

“… I’m really here to bring a certain style of play. We’re not really looking at it as trying to compare it to what has gone on here prior to us. We’re coming in expecting to win. We are here to raise the bar. We’re not here to be happy with mediocrity.”

On how he views the current roster:

“We have some good talent on the roster. When this team has been healthy, it’s been a formidable team. Unfortunately, last year it was just decimated with injuries and I acknowledge that. But that doesn’t stop you from setting the bar higher and pushing harder to be better. I don’t think we can be satisfied with what happened two years ago when the team had success. I don’t think you can look at that and say, ‘OK, we can see what we can be.’ You have to push past that. You can’t just aspire to be that. You have to set the goal higher than that and that’s what we intend to do. We intend to push for this team to try to max out because there is some good talent on this roster.”

On his belief that the “best teams reflect their city”:

“I think the Bulls reflected Chicago. The Showtime Lakers reflected L.A. The Bad Boys reflected Detroit. The Indiana Pacers reflect Indianapolis and OKC reflect Oklahoma City. With your best teams, there is a connection between the city and the style of play. The fans look at it and say, ‘Yeah, that represents us.’

“That is what I hope people see when we play. I want them to see that we represent New Orleans. I’m from Louisiana, so I have a feel for the resilience and I know people aren’t quitting here. That’s just not the personality of the city. So I think it’s important that your team reflects that. Fans should be able to look at the team and say, ‘They absolutely are playing and representing what we stand for.'”