The New Orleans Pelicans face an uphill battle as they approach the upcoming season. They are up against a loaded Western Conference and a history of cursed injuries.

Leaving out Voodoo and any other superstitions entirely (aside from cooking a pot of Gumbo on opening night for New Orleans), and fully applying basketball-deductive reasoning has led me to foresee three things that can unfold for the Pelicans this season.

Karlo Matkovic Becomes the Most Crucial Big

This isn’t in opposition to veteran addition Kevon Looney or sophomore Yves Missi. It focuses on understanding what style of play this roster needs to hone in on and who fits that best.

This year’s team must excel and focus on transition more than ever before. If we zoom in on the core of this team — Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, and Jordan Poole—we identify the players who will finish games and make up the bulk of the starting unit. Looney screens well, and Missi serves as a lob threat and a superb athlete. Yet, neither can space the floor nor run it effectively.

Matkovic can achieve that. He doesn’t have a flamethrower by any means, and his shooting from outside the arc looks poor statistically. However, the focus should not be solely on the percentage, but instead on the concept of spacing as a system.

Zion’s best offense doesn’t come with a clogged lane. Matkovic can draw defenders out or duck in for a lob. As a pick-and-roll partner, he can score on the pop or make short rolls. Matkovic excels as a mid-range shooter and can knock down open corner threes.

This offensive variety, combined with Matkovic’s strengths as a screener, floor runner, rim protector, and offensive rebounder, clearly positions him as New Orleans’ primary big for the 2025 season.

David Griffin, the former Pelicans GM, selected Jordan Hawkins at pick No. 14 of the 2023 NBA Draft. Hawkins emerged from college as a national champion with UConn and gained recognition as one of the best shooters in the draft.

In his first two years in the league, his shooting has been lackluster.

Shooters should expect variance. However, in all of Hawkins’ performance metrics over his first two years, only two months saw him produce a three-point percentage above the league average.

As he approaches year three, labeling him a bust would be premature.

A new front office and its fresh direction suggest that they might trade Hawkins. This is especially probable with a GM like Troy Weaver at the helm. Weaver has a reputation for targeting players he has previously scouted and drafted, and Hawkins does not fit that profile.

His production has lagged, akin to a dry po-boy. So, come February, don’t be surprised if New Orleans moves him to another team.

Entertainment For Fans and Filled Seats

With no way to predict whether this team will enjoy an entirely healthy season from its most impactful players, predicting their success in the win-loss column proves challenging.

What’s guaranteed, though, is how entertaining this lineup will be. If the team embodies an identity rooted in high pace, they will capture fans’ attention on a nightly basis.

Slim Zion in the open floor, accompanied by high-level, lengthy athletes like Trey and Herb, Missi and Matkovic throwing down posters, and Poole doing what he has done throughout his career, all create a recipe for stirring fans. Oh, and Fears — regardless of his impact on winning — will be beloved like a Hansen’s Sno Ball.

A captivating team will attract fans to games and finally put to rest the national media narrative of “sell/move the team” and “They’re the Saints’ little brother.”

An unsatisfying and unsuccessful product won’t be well-received; that shouldn’t come as a shock—the city rallies around winners and rallies around each other. If the basketball product is enjoyable, even at a .500-win percentage, rest assured, butts will be in seats — run-down Smoothie King Center seats.

Less than two weeks till New Orleans basketball is back. Even for super fans and hoops sickos, there’s no telling what’s to come. Only a handful of days until Zion attempts to revitalize his career, Louisiana’s favorite duo, Trey and Herb, take the floor, and new guys try to find their fit. We’ll see then if some of these predictions come to fruition.