What the New Orleans Pelicans can do this offseason
- ›Can add an outside free agent up to $4.2M via the Non-Tax MLE.
- ›Hard-capped at the first apron — triggered by Bennedict Mathurin’s non-taxpayer mid-level, so it can't cross that line the rest of the season.
- ›Below the first apron: full expanded salary-matching is available.
- ›Draft capital: 3 extra incoming picks, owes 5.
CapTax1A2A
Non-Tax MLE$4.2MBi-Annual$4.2MTaxpayer MLE$4.2MMinimum$3.9M
Projected record
32-50
Projected net rating
-4.4
Current baseline
32 wins · -4.4 net
Full standings · models the position-aware rotation, a real-age aging curve, perimeter defense, and a bounded penalty for a structural hole; a talent-on-hand projection, not a full-season forecast (no coaching or playoff translation).
Team profile · on-court identity + fit
Offense
B-
52
Defense
C+
50
Spacing
C+
49
Playmaking
D
31
Rim protection
B-
54
Perimeter D
B-
57
Rebounding
C
46
Defensive core +0.8Connectors +0.3Thin playmaking -1.1No shot creation -0.6
Grades are minutes-weighted from the projected rotation; the chips are the fit read — how much each strength or gap is worth in net rating, on top of raw talent. Dimensions come from each player’s real 2025-26 box profile. Injuries are real reported facts, factored into projected minutes.
Projected rotation · minutes by position, best players first
PGPoint
51Dejounte MurrayST30y28m
45Jordan Poole27y20m
SGShooting
51Saddiq BeyST27y19m
49Herbert Jones28y28m
45Jordan Poole27y1m
SFSmall F
57Trey Murphy IIIST26y36m
51Saddiq Bey27y13m
PFPower F
64Zion WilliamsonST26y30m
51Karlo Matković25y15m
45Trendon Watford26y4m
CCenter
48Derik QueenST22y25m
45Trendon Watford26y13m
45Yves Missi22y10m
Out of rotation · no projected minutes in the 240-a-night budget
44Christian Koloko43DeAndre Jordan43Jeremiah Fears42Bennedict Mathurin42Bryce McGowens40Micah Peavy37Jordan Hawkins
Projected minutes from the position-aware rotation model: five on-court spots share a fixed 240-minute-a-night budget, best players first, with versatile players (their secondary spot shown on hover) sliding to a second position. ST = projected starter. Not a coach’s actual rotation.
Roster (17)
64PFZion Williamson$42.2M
45PGJordan Poole$34.0M
51PGDejounte Murray$32.8M
57SFTrey Murphy III$27.0M
49SFHerbert Jones$14.9M
43PGJeremiah Fears$7.9M
42SFBennedict MathurinNO-TRADE$7.8M
37SGJordan Hawkins$7.0M
51SFSaddiq Bey$6.4M
48CDerik Queen$5.4M
43CDeAndre JordanNO-TRADE$3.9M
45CYves Missi$3.5M
42SGBryce McGowens$2.6M
45PFTrendon WatfordNO-TRADE$2.4M
44CChristian KolokoNO-TRADE$2.4M
51PFKarlo Matković$2.3M
40SGMicah Peavy$2.2M
Draft capital
Own first-rounders
’27 prot 1-4’28 kept’29 kept’30 kept’31 kept’32 kept
Incoming picks & swap rights
’27 1st · swap more’27 2nd · conditional’31 2nd · from TOR
Full ledger — 3 in, 5 out
in 2027 — first round draft pick from Milwaukee (New Orleans outgoing to Atlanta)
in 2027 — second round draft pick from Oklahoma City, Houston, Indiana or Miami (second most favorable)
in 2031 — second round draft pick from Toronto
out 2027 — second round draft pick to Charlotte or Portland
out 2028 — second round draft pick to San Antonio
out 2029 — second round draft pick to San Antonio
out 2030 — second round pick to Orlando (swap, Orlando incoming)
out 2031 — second round draft pick to Orlando or Oklahoma City