NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson’s offseason work ethic and the healthy returns of Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III have Joe Dumars sounding optimistic as the Pelicans prepare to open training camp this week.

Dumars is getting a first look at his new team following a 21-61 season in which Williamson missed 52 games, Jones missed most of the season and Murphy was lost in March.

kAm%96 7@C>6C }qp 9625BF2CE6CD 6I64FE:G6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A6=:42?D\;@6\5F>2CD\6e4gghe_`ae7fbg34a6ef_4hbhg3d2“QmH2D 9:C65 E@ C6A=246k^2m tI64FE:G6 ‘:46 !C6D:56?E @7 q2D<6E32== ~A6C2E:@?D s2G:5 vC:77:? 5FC:?8 E96 @77D62D@?]k^Am

kAm(:E9 (:==:2>D@?[ 2 9:89\7=J:?8 E2=6?E H9@ 92D DECF88=65 E@ DE2J @? E96 4@FCE[ 2E E96 !6=:42?DV 4@C6[ sF>2CD H2?ED E@ >2<6 DFC6 AC:@C:E:6D 2C6 😕 E96 C:89E A=246]k^Am

kAm“{6E >6 D6E E96 6IA64E2E:@?D 7@C J@F C:89E ?@H[ D@ E96C6’D ?@ >:DF?56CDE2?5:?8[Q 96 C642==65 D2J:?8 😕 2 >66E:?8 H:E9 E96 4@249:?8 DE277] “%96C6’D ?@ 2>@F?E @7 H:?D] %96C6VD ?@i V*@FVG6 8@E E@ >2<6 E96 A=2J\:?]V }@?6 @7 E92E] ]]] x7 H6 A=2J 2D 92C5 2D H6 42? A=2J 6G6CJ ?:89E[ H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 86E 6?@F89 H:?D H96C6 H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 92AAJ]Qk^Am

kAmsF>2CD[ 2 7@C>6C }qp 492>A:@? 2D 3@E9 2 A=2J6C 2?5 86?6C2= >2?286C 7@C E96 s6EC@:E !:DE@?D[ D2:5 9:D >2:? >6DD286 E@ (:==:2>D@? H2Di “(:E9 8C62E?6DD 4@>6D C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ]”k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D ;FDE 366? 2 962GJ 6>A92D:D @? E92Ej ;FDE 36:?8 244@F?E23=6 2?5 C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C H92E J@F 5@[” sF>2CD D2:5] “xE’D ?@E 6?@F89 ;FDE E@ 36 E2=6?E65]Qk^Am

kAm(:==:2>D@?[ H9@ 925 92>DEC:?8 2?5 =@H6C 324< :?;FC:6D =2DE D62D@?[ 92D >:DD65 aeg @7 cga 42C66C 82>6D 5FC:?8 9:D 7:CDE D:I }qp D62D@?D D:?46 36:?8 5C27E65 7:CDE @G6C2== 😕 a_`h @FE @7 sF<6]k^Am

kAm“+:@? 92D 366? 8C62E] x’G6 ?@E 925 2?J :DDF6D H:E9 9:>[” sF>2CD D2:5[ ?@E:?8 E92E 96VD D66? (:==:2>D@? 2E E62> 9625BF2CE6CD 5FC:?8 >F49 @7 E96 A2DE >@?E9 “C62==J AFD9:?8 9:>D6=7 92C5]”k^Am

kAmy@?6D[ H9@ >:DD65 >@DE @7 =2DE D62D@? H:E9 2 D9@F=56C :?;FCJ[ 2?5 |FCA9J[ H9@ ?66565 DFC86CJ 😕 |2C49 7@C 2 E@C? =23CF> 2?5 A2CE:2= C@E2E@C 4F77 E62C[ 2C6 3@E9 A2CE:4:A2E:?8 😕 7F==\4@FCE H@C< 2E 7F== DA665[ sF>2CD D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%9@D6 8FJD 92G6 366? D4C:>>28:?8 7@C E96 =2DE EH@ E9C66 H66

kAm%96 C64@G6CJ E:>6=:?6 😀 =6DD @H? 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A6=:42?D\56;@F?E6\>FCC2J\249:==6D\E6?5@?\CFAEFC6\g5acd4h46_5_cec43`bcafae25eaaa26Qm8F2C5 s6;@F?E6 |FCC2Jk^2m Wp49:==6D E6?5@?X 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?6H\@C=62?D\A6=:42?D\?32\5C27E\5F>2CD\6b33d6_c6fgdfc4a2hhfebdfec7533gaQm`bE9 @G6C2== 5C27E A:4< s6C:< “F66?k^2m W=67E HC:DEX]k^Am

kAmsF>2CD D2:5 96 42??@E J6E AC@G:56 2 DA64:7:4 52E6 @? H96? E96JV== C6EFC? E@ E96 4@FCE[ 3FE D@F?565 @AE:>:DE:4 23@FE E96:C AC@8C6DD]k^Am

kAm“%96J’C6 C62==J 566A :?E@ E96:C C6923 2?5 >J 4@?G6CD2E:@?D H:E9 E96 >65:42= WDE277X 96C6 92D 366? C62==J 8@@5 @G6C E96 DF>>6C[ ;FDE 23@FE E96 AC@46DD E92E E96D6 8FJD 92G6 366? 8@:?8 E9C@F89[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 !6=:42?D @A6? AC24E:46 @? (65?6D52J 😕 }6H ~C=62?D 367@C6 9625:?8 ?6IE H66< E@ pFDEC2=:2 7@C D6G6C2= AC6D62D@? 6I9:3:E:@? 82>6D]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32k^2mk^Am



Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.