New Orleans Pelicans

Franchise
Elite
All-Star
Starter
Rotation

Name	Pos	Age	Games	MPG	O Role	D Role	CraftedPM	WARP	Pts	Reb	AST	Stl	Blk
Zion Williamson	PF	20	61	33.2	Versatile Big	Hidden	3.26 96%	6.21	27	7.2	3.7	0.9	0.6
Brandon Ingram	SF	23	61	34.3	Secondary Ballhandler	Off Ball Wing	1.35 85%	4.37	23.8	4.9	4.9	0.7	0.6
Lonzo Ball	PG	23	55	31.8	Spotup Wing	On Ball Stopper	1.95 92%	4.19	14.6	4.8	5.7	1.5	0.6
Steven Adams	C	27	58	27.7	Roll/Cut Big	Hang Back Big	0.66 74%	2.79	7.6	8.9	1.9	0.9	0.7
Eric Bledsoe	PG	31	71	29.7	Secondary Ballhandler	On Ball Stopper	-0.32 58%	2.62	12.2	3.4	3.8	0.8	0.3
Josh Hart	SG	25	47	28.7	Spotup Wing	On Ball Stopper	0.29 70%	2.09	9.2	8	2.3	0.8	0.3
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	SG	22	46	21.9	Spotup Wing	Off Ball Wing	0.09 65%	1.46	11	3.1	2.2	1	0.5
Willy Hernangomez	C	26	47	18	Glue Guy	Hang Back Big	0.28 70%	1.31	7.8	7.1	1.1	0.5	0.5
Jaxson Hayes	C	20	60	16.1	Roll/Cut Big	Hang Back Big	-0.24 60%	1.23	7.5	4.3	0.6	0.4	0.6
Naji Marshall	SF	23	32	21.9		FALSE	-0.35 57%	0.86	7.7	4.6	2.8	0.8	0.3
Kira Lewis Jr.	PG	19	54	16.7	Secondary Ballhandler	Off Ball Wing	-1.15 40%	0.74	6.4	1.3	2.3	0.7	0.2
James Johnson	PF	33	51	20.5	Spotup Wing	Versatile Big	-1.54 35%	0.64	7.2	3.5	1.9	0.8	0.8
Wenyen Gabriel	PF	23	21	11.5		FALSE	-1.69 31%	0.13	3.4	2.6	0.5	0.4	0.4
Sindarius Thornwell	SF	26	21	10.3		FALSE	-2.85 11%	-0.01	2	0.9	1	0.6	0.1

Projected Net Rating/100

5.9

Lineup Synergy Rating

4.4

Name	Pos	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	VersatilityRating	CraftedDPM
Josh Hart	SG	25	47	28.7	9.2	8	2.3	0.8	0.3	70	0.36 65%
Zion Williamson	PF	20	61	33.2	27	7.2	3.7	0.9	0.6	52	-0.19 45%
Lonzo Ball	PG	23	55	31.8	14.6	4.8	5.7	1.5	0.6	46	0.42 67%
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	SG	22	46	21.9	11	3.1	2.2	1	0.5	40	0.56 71%
Willy Hernangomez	C	26	47	18	7.8	7.1	1.1	0.5	0.5	25	0.01 54%

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

7.5

Lineup Synergy Rating

5.0

Name	Pos	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	CraftedPM
Zion Williamson	PF	20	61	33.2	27	7.2	3.7	0.9	0.6	3.26 96%
Lonzo Ball	PG	23	55	31.8	14.6	4.8	5.7	1.5	0.6	1.95 92%
Brandon Ingram	SF	23	61	34.3	23.8	4.9	4.9	0.7	0.6	1.35 85%
Steven Adams	C	27	58	27.7	7.6	8.9	1.9	0.9	0.7	0.66 74%
Josh Hart	SG	25	47	28.7	9.2	8	2.3	0.8	0.3	0.29 70%

Esimated Win Total*

56.4

Name	Age	Games	Minutes	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	CraftedPM	CraftedPeakPM	PeakWAR
Zion Williamson	20	61	33.2	27	7.2	3.7	0.9	0.6	3.26 96%	4.77	9.1
Kira Lewis Jr.	19	54	16.7	6.4	1.3	2.3	0.7	0.2	-1.15 40%	3.32	6.5
Lonzo Ball	23	55	31.8	14.6	4.8	5.7	1.5	0.6	1.95 92%	2.87	5.9
Brandon Ingram	23	61	34.3	23.8	4.9	4.9	0.7	0.6	1.35 85%	2.2	5.1
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	22	46	21.9	11	3.1	2.2	1	0.5	0.09 65%	1.16	3.8

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

5.9

Lineup Synergy Rating

4.4

Projected Net Rating/100

7.5

Lineup Synergy Rating

5.0

Esimated Win Total*

56.4

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