(Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The calendar has turned to September. You know what that means, right?! Our offseason outlook series is back for the third-straight year!
Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We will be going in alphabetical order, beginning with the Eastern Conference. To continue along, we will be diving into the New Orleans Pelicans’ quiet summer.
Previous offseason outlooks:
Evaluating the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2026 offseason:
Additions: Bennedict Mathurin, Trenton Watford, A.J. Johnson, Kobe Bufkin, Caleb Houstan
Subtractions: Kevon Looney, Jordan Hawkins
Re-signed: Saddiq Bey, DeAndre Jordan
Draft: Jaron Pierre (No. 58 overall)
Hanifan’s outlook: I am beyond perplexed by the job that Joe Dumars has done over the last ~17 months.
I don’t try to call for other individuals’ jobs, but I am honestly shocked he still has one. The same could be said about his lieutenant, Troy Weaver, too.
The Pelicans hired Dumars to replace David Griffin in April of 2025, and it’s been nothing but a downward spiral. He haphazardly traded the team’s 2026 unprotected first-round pick on draft night to select Derik Queen, who had a solid rookie season. But Queen’s fit in New Orleans with Zion Williamson and Yves Missi remains questionable. Additionally, the Pelicans traded CJ McCollum in a multi-player deal for Jordan Poole, a below-average-at-best asset who appeared in just 39 games last season.
New Orleans only won 26 games despite having zero incentive to tank. It dealt with a litany of injuries to key rotation players, namely Poole, Dejounte Murray, Kevon Looney and Herb Jones. But even a healthy Pelicans team still wasn’t good enough to make it anywhere in the West.
Yet, they’re deciding to #runitback™.
New Orleans had a very quiet summer outside of a trio of September moves, notably signing Bennedict Mathurin to a team-friendly deal. However, they also dealt two second-round picks (including one swap) for AJ Johnson, a player I like but still one who’s unproven. They also re-signed DeAndre Jordan to a two-year deal, and re-signed Saddiq Bey, cashing in on a career year last season.
There are a few individual pieces I like, and I am a fan of first-year Pelicans head coach Jamahl Mosley. But I don’t understand this organization from top-to-bottom. It’s time for Gayle Benson to sell. Running back a 26-win team is a major slap in the face to the fans, especially since they are refusing to sell off Jones, Trey Murphy, Missi and Jones, among others.
Grade: F
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