The New Orleans Pelicans are going to do everything they can to lose every one of the final seven games on their schedule. As it stands, they own the fourth-worst record in the league with 54 losses, two “behind” the Hornets, whom they beat on Sunday, for a coveted bottom-three spot. That carries with it the maximum 14% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is almost certain to be Duke’s Cooper Flagg.
To aid in that effort, the Pelicans have officially shut down Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum for the remainder of the season. The Pelicans released a statement citing a low-back contusion for Williamson and a foot contusion for McCollum, which are alternative ways of saying “we’re tanking.”
Williamson has yet again endured an injury-riddled season, managing to play in just 30 games, which somehow registers as only his fourth-lowest total in six NBA seasons. Williamson played 24 games in his rookie year, missed the entire 2021-22 season and played in just 29 two years ago.
Sure, Williamson played well over his 30 games, averaging just under 25 points to go with career highs in rebounds (7.2) and assists (5.3), but who cares at this point. There’s nothing left to be uncovered about Williamson’s ability. The only number in his stats that matters is games played.
The Pelicans are in a tight spot with Williamson because he is so great when he plays, and yet his trade value is likely not what a player of his caliber should be given his inability to stay on the court. Do they accept dimes on the dollar for him, or keep doing this “can he say healthy?” dance for another year? It’ll likely be the latter.
The Pelicans were not supposed to be a tank team this season. They traded for Dejounte Murray and entered the season with an incredibly deep roster. To say they have been decimated by injuries would be an understatement.
As for the tank, here are New Orleans’ final seven games: at Clippers, at Lakers, vs. Bucks, at Nets, at Bucks, vs. Heat and vs. Thunder. The only opponent on that schedule that will also be trying to lose when they meet is Brooklyn. That will be a bonafide tank-off. Other than that, New Orleans should have no problem losing out.
Problem is, Charlotte also looks like it has six sure losses remaining on the schedule against the Pacers, Kings, Bulls, Grizzlies and Celtics (twice). If they lose all those games, even if they accidentally upend the Raptors, the Pelicans cannot finish inside the top three in terms of lottery odds.
What they really want to ensure is that they don’t fall to No. 5, at which point their odds for the No. 1 pick would fall from 12.5% (at No. 4) to 10%. The 76ers are just two losses back of the Pelicans, and if they were to end in a tie, the Pelicans would fall to No. 5 in lottery odds because they swept the season series with Philadelphia.
