(Photo : (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)) NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 29: New Orleans Pelicans gamers react in the course of the fourth quarter in Game Four of the primary spherical of the 2024 NBA Playoffs in opposition to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Smoothie King Center on April 27, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or utilizing this {photograph}, User is consenting to the phrases and circumstances of the Getty Images License Agreement.
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t-soar as excessive as they needed. In reality they got here crashing down moderately shortly within the NBA postseason.
Last evening, the Pelicans’ season ended disappointingly once they had been swept out of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the No.1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder in full management all through the collection, and regardless of taking part in them shut all through Game 4, final evening’s recreation and the collection was by no means doubtful, leaving New Orleans to determine what subsequent in the course of the offseason.
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Pelicans and Zion Williamson’s Requiem
Things had been wanting up for the New Orleans Pelicans this 12 months.
Zion Williamson performed his healthiest season as a professional, taking part in 70 video games, and the group received probably the most video games within the franchise because the 2008-09 season at 49.
A aggressive Western Conference and a few unhealthy losses would have them fall into the NBA Play-In as an alternative of matching as much as a top-five group within the West immediately.
Still, many have questioned what the Pelicans can do within the postseason with a wholesome Zion Williamson on the roster.
All that got here crashing down when Zion Williamson, who had scored 40 factors in opposition to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, went down with a hamstring harm in the course of the Pelicans’ Play-In recreation.
They managed to slide previous the Sacramento Kings to take the No.8 seed. However, with out Williamson the Pelicans’ probabilities of doing something substantial within the postseason was put into query. This was evident as OKC was simply an excessive amount of for the Pelicans resulting in them getting swept out within the first spherical.
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Brandon Ingram Struggles within the Big Easy
Brandon Ingram was a giant a part of the Pelicans playoff run in 2022, however ended up being a legal responsibility on the court docket for his or her collection in opposition to the Thunder.
Ingram struggled to get it going all through the collection in opposition to the Thunder’s versatile protection.
He failed to attain over 20 factors within the collection by means of wingman Lu Dort’s protection, making Ingram uncomfortable all through all 4 video games.
An abysmal postseason efficiency and an underwhelming common season would make it exhausting for the Pelicans brass to justify paying Brandon Ingram the massive cash he wishes.
Ingram, who has a 12 months remaining on his deal, opted to forgo negotiating a contract extension with the Pelicans final summer time.
Reports revealed that the Pelicans would probably should make the powerful alternative between Williamson and Ingram sooner or later.
Both of them are the largest stars on the group, the thought was to pair the younger wing with Zion Williamson, making them a dynamic pairing in New Orleans.
But after 5 years the group has seen little success with the pair and the Pelicans’ proficient wing depth could make Ingram expandable.
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Pelicans Reliance on Zion Williamson
Despite the disappointing ending, the longer term for the Pelicans continues to be brilliant, and this season could have been a glimpse of what it may be like transferring ahead.
Zion Williamson continues to be among the many greatest gamers beneath 25 on the court docket.
They have a younger roster that may shortly run the West alongside the Thunder, Nuggets, and Timberwolves.
This could bear Zion Williamson’s well being as a big issue transferring ahead, because the New Orleans Pelicans will go as excessive as Zion will go.
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