NBA SIMS LEAGUE
NSL Insider - Team by Team: New Orleans Pelicansby Rootsey, updated on Monday, November 10 2025, 04:34 pm EST New Orleans Pelicans Team Review
2024-25 Finish: 47-35
Season Lowlight/Highlight: It’s hard to talk about the Pelicans’ season without zeroing in on the bittersweet reality of Luka Doncic’s limited availability. The superstar suited up for just 49 games — a career low in the NSL — and yet, the team still managed to keep their heads well above water. That’s no small feat. Had Luka been on the court more consistently, the Pels might’ve flirted with a top-tier record. But even with their franchise cornerstone sidelined for 33 games, they only dropped 35 total. That’s impressive resilience. Credit goes to Leeroy, the architect behind this roster. He built a squad that didn’t just orbit around Luka — it thrived in his absence. The supporting cast stepped up, the system held firm, and the Pels proved they’re more than just a one-man show. Best Trade: The Golden State Warriors send: Quinten Post & 2nd-Rounder (LAC) The New Orleans Pelicans send: Christian Koloko & 2nd-Rounder (Tor) While this is a smaller deal the ability to switch out a deeeeeep bench player for a sometimes starter in Quinten Post seems like a great win for the Pels. There were a few other trades that look better and better with hindsight due to injury such as the Kyrie deal or even the Isaiah Jackson deal which nabs Westbrook who was one of the driving forces of the team and Karlo Matkovic who has shown glimpses.
Worst Trade: The LA Lakers send: Spencer Dinwiddie The New Orleans Pelicans send: Toumani Camara & 2nd-Rounder (Cha) & 2nd-Rounder (NO) This looks really bad after a few months have gone by. Dinwiddie out of the league, Camara getting DPOY buzz and sending off a few 2nds aswell. I’m sure Dinwiddie did his job well while he was around, and there are arguments to be had about Camara’s 2k fit but the long term benefits fall well on the side of the Lakers
Other Notable Trades: The New Orleans Pelicans send: Isaiah Jackson & 1st-Rounder (Tor) The Portland Trail Blazers send: Russell Westbrook & Karlo Matkovic & 2nd-Rounder (Cha) Send off the injured, bring in a 2k gun. The Cleveland Cavaliers send: DeAndre Hunter & Bennedict Mathurin The New Orleans Pelicans send: Julius Randle & Nickeil Alexander-Walker Trade away the offseason acquisition for some longer term contracts. De-risk a little
The Brooklyn Nets send: Tyus Jones to the New Orleans Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans send: Mason Plumlee & Grayson Allen & 2nd-Rounder (LAL) The Portland Trail Blazers send: Chris Boucher to the New Orleans Pelicans. Meh
The LA Lakers send: Talen Horton-Tucker to the Washington Wizards. The LA Lakers send a 2nd-Rounder (Cha) and 2nd-Rounder (NO) to the New Orleans Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans send Duop Reath to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The New Orleans Pelicans send Tyus Jones to the LA Lakers. The Washington Wizards send Baylor Scheierman to the New Orleans Pelicans. Double Meh The Dallas Mavericks send Santi Aldama to the New Orleans Pelicans. The New Orleans Pelicans send Tre Mann & 2nd-Rounder (LAC) & 2nd-Rounder (Cha) & 2nd-Rounder (NO) Worth a gamble on a stretch big
Free Agency: Not a huge amount went down last year. Resigned Gobert and Aaron Gordon, added some depth pieces in Garrison Matthews and Mason Plumlee. Useful but not exciting work at free agency
Star: Played all but two weeks of the season and nearly averaged a double double on great efficiency. He locked down the paint with 2 blocks per game and over 1 steal aswell. His defense carried the team all year even when the other star (Luka Doncic) was injured. Will he be the star this year with Luka already missing a handful of games? The team definitely has enough scoring around him to rely on the big man.
Flop: None Impossible to pick a flop, everyone played within their role and were efficient enough. All the players who were moved out were performing well, all the players received in trades did what was expected of them. Baylor Scheierman might be a flop but who really expected anything from him in his rookie season?
Draft Grades: Pick 19 – Jeremiah Fears Overall Grade: A+ Looks like a great pick getting the slider of the draft who would be making many of the GMs pass him by regret doing so. Fears has not been super efficient yet but he is getting his reps to learn his trade at a very young age. There is no stopping him getting to the basket either. Saying all this he has already been traded away, so A+ goes to a B when Liam McNeely is the returning rookie. The Future: The team looks really solid. If Luka can stay healthy enough they have scoring options across the board. The Luka to Miles Bridges passes will be a sight to behold. They’ve got good height across most positions and the options to play a defensive line up with Okoro on the wing or go all out with Mathurin in the starting line up. Gobert will do what’s needed from him, and Aldama will fit neatly into the rotation. They’ll be keeping one eye on the Kings all season as they hold their first this year, so the match up between the Kings and Pels will be must watch. I think they have a really well balanced squad that might surprise some teams because they have the ability to close out big games with one of the best players in the league as their centrepiece. |
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