New Orleans Pelicans

Franchise
Elite
All-Star
Starter
Rotation

Name	Pos	Age	GP	MPG	Pts	Reb	AST	Stl	Blk	CraftedOPM	CraftedDPM	CraftedPM
Brandon Ingram	SF	24	35	34.6	22.7	6.1	5.2	0.6	0.3	1.94	-1.23	0.71
Zion Williamson	PF	21								3.8	-0.6	3.2
Devonte' Graham	PG	26	41	31.4	13.8	2.6	4.6	1	0.2	1.55	-0.83	0.72
Jonas Valanciunas	C	29	41	31.6	18.4	12	2.4	0.5	0.9	0.66	1.46	2.12
Trey Murphy III	SF	21	36	12.7	3.8	2.1	0.6	0.3	0.1	-2.14	-0.52	-2.66
Josh Hart	SG	26	35	33.1	13.1	7.5	4.3	1	0.3	0.24	0.14	0.37
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	SG	23	41	26.6	12.8	3.4	2.5	0.9	0.3	-0.86	-0.93	-1.79
Jaxson Hayes	C	21	32	13.9	6.8	3.5	0.3	0.3	0.8	-0.92	0.26	-0.66
Tomas Satoransky	SG	30	31	14.9	2.8	2	2.3	0.5	0	-3.11	-0.53	-3.65
Naji Marshall	SF	24	23	9.6	3.3	2.4	0.9	0.4	0.1	-2.64	0.44	-2.2
Garrett Temple	SG	35	42	19.6	5.9	2.7	1.3	0.8	0.4	-2.73	-0.61	-3.35
Kira Lewis Jr.	PG	20	24	14.2	5.9	1.6	2	0.5	0	-1.92	-0.72	-2.64
Willy Hernangomez	C	27	23	14.9	7.7	6.7	1.2	0.3	0.2	0.87	-0.91	-0.04
Didi Louzada	SG	22	2	3.5	0	1	0.5	0	0	-2.3	-0.9	-3.2
Herbert Jones	PF	23	41	29	9.1	3.7	1.9	1.4	1	-1.22	1.9	0.68

Projected Net Rating/100

-8.5

Lineup Synergy Rating

3.0

Name	Pos	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	VersatilityRating	CraftedDPM
Josh Hart	SG	26	35	33.1	13.1	7.5	4.3	1	0.3	93	0.14 61%
Naji Marshall	SF	24	23	9.6	3.3	2.4	0.9	0.4	0.1	77	0.44 70%
Garrett Temple	SG	35	42	19.6	5.9	2.7	1.3	0.8	0.4	63	-0.61 27%
Kira Lewis Jr.	PG	20	24	14.2	5.9	1.6	2	0.5	0	21	-0.72 23%
Jaxson Hayes	C	21	32	13.9	6.8	3.5	0.3	0.3	0.8	12	0.26 65%

Each team's projected most versatile 5 man lineup, their projected net rating per 100 possessions, and the lineups synergy rating.

Short Story:

Remove the least versatile defenders, unless they happen to be a superstar.
Remove the horrible defenders, unless they happen to be a superstar.
Spit out the four best defenders of the remaining PG's, SG's and SF's.
Spit out the two most versatile defenders among the remaining PF's and Centers.
Spit out the 5 best defenders among the remaining 6 players.

This weeds out the defenders who would likely be exposed in a playoff matchup as well as the least switchable players (think Trey Burke/Greg Monroe). The idea was to find the best/most versatile lineup for those tough playoff matchups.

*Some teams may not have 5 players meet these qualification. These teams are usually garbage, or they have a position of great weakness and therefore did not have 5 players qualify.

Versatility Rating comes from a project put together by both Krishna Narsu and Patrick Miller of Nylon Calculus. A quick, concise explanation of Versatility Rating (higher is better) can be found on the glossary page.

Projected Net Rating/100

7.1

Lineup Synergy Rating

1.1

Name	Pos	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	CraftedPM
Zion Williamson	PF	21								3.2 94%
Jonas Valanciunas	C	29	41	31.6	18.4	12	2.4	0.5	0.9	2.12 89%
Devonte' Graham	PG	26	41	31.4	13.8	2.6	4.6	1	0.2	0.72 75%
Brandon Ingram	SF	24	35	34.6	22.7	6.1	5.2	0.6	0.3	0.71 75%
Josh Hart	SG	26	35	33.1	13.1	7.5	4.3	1	0.3	0.37 68%

Esimated Win Total*

47.5

Name	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	CraftedPM	CraftedPeakPM	PeakWAR
Zion Williamson	21								3.2 94%	5.3	9.8
Brandon Ingram	24	35	34.6	22.7	6.1	5.2	0.6	0.3	0.71 75%	1.27	3.9
Jaxson Hayes	21	32	13.9	6.8	3.5	0.3	0.3	0.8	-0.66 54%	1.01	2.9
Kira Lewis Jr.	20	24	14.2	5.9	1.6	2	0.5	0	-2.64 17%	0.95	2.6
Trey Murphy III	21	36	12.7	3.8	2.1	0.6	0.3	0.1	-2.66 16%	0.11	2.3

Young Core - players must be 26 or younger with a PeakWAR > 1 to qualify. Win Shares come from FiveThirtyEight's CARMELO Projections. Projections go out to 2025 and take each players peak projected season.

* Estimated Win Total - This is a crude estimate based upon adding these players to a team with slightly below average talent (a 26 win team). We came to this number by taking an average team's minutes distribution, making their three highest minute players replacement level (using -2.5 plus minus as replacement level), and filling out the roster with a group of average (~ -.5 plus minus) players. We then ran this roster through a simulated NBA schedule 100 times, and came out with about 26 wins.

The idea being that the players from the Young Core replace the minutes played by the replacement level players from the 26 win team.

*The Wins Above Replacement player projections come from our player projections, and update periodically throughout the season. While a player like Jayson Tatum is listed at a 9.1 peak WAR, this is what we consider his most likely outcome. It is just as possible that he goes over that 9.1 as he goes under.

New Orleans Pelicans

Stats & Analytics

Roster Talent Level

Playoff Early Exit

Roster

Versatile

Closers

Young Core

Projected Net Rating/100

-8.5

Lineup Synergy Rating

3.0

Projected Net Rating/100

7.1

Lineup Synergy Rating

1.1

Esimated Win Total*

47.5

Sign up for our newsletter