Technically, the New Orleans Pelicans opened the Jamahl Mosley era with a preseason win. Nothing except the lack of quit in the comeback win (116-110) should have made anyone comfortable. Well, maybe those Zion Williamson three-pointers should be a talking point, but the halftime score (67-52) against the Oklahoma City Thunder reserves received the most social media attention.
Forgive the still-skeptical fans for insisting, as they have all offseason, that the Pelicans need another starting-caliber big man. Karlo Matkovic is more of a Larry Nance Jr. power forward. Missi is not quite ready to be the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, though the coaching staff suggested that goal to start training camp. However, a trade for a starting center at this point is 1000-1 longshot.
So what's next now that Mosley has a small stress test sample size, and what is merely an overreaction?
Pelicans pushing limits
Mosley said the defense is ahead of the offense and gave a C- grade at a St. Augustine-based practice. That is the alarming part. If the defense is the strong side of this team right now, the Pelicans have a lot more work to do than a few weeks of training camp can fix.
Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Bennett Stirtz, Kenrich Williams, and Aday Mara were giving the Pelicans problems. Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Saddiq Bey could not stop anyone in the paint. If Yves Missi cannot corral the Thunder rookie, what will Victor Wembanyama do in the regular season? Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen will not languish in a lottery spot. Zach Edey is well rested and ready to lead the Memphis Grizzlies once again.
It didn't stop there either. The Pelicans have long relied on Herb Jones as a perimeter anchor, but the collective unit lagged in transition and second-effort plays. Mosley has stressed that defense is a five-man job and that habits formed in practice must transfer to games. Until the group moves with greater urgency and communication, easy paint touches and transition opportunities will continue to undermine the defensive identity he is trying to install.
To be fair, there is always some rust to knock off in the first game. Dejounte Murray looking a step slow and cautious should not surprise anyone, for example. Derik Queen called it the WD40 fitness test, basically. On the plus side, a 46-16 run to win the game is commendable.
It's easy to throw in a preseason towel, but it seems the players understand that everyone's minutes are on the line and must be won through effort. Forget the egos and preseason situations; the fight means something even if they lack the size to truly bother the contenders.
Zion Williamson's extra work
When the starters shared the floor, possessions frequently stalled once the ball entered the paint. Drives that should create kick-out threes or lobs instead produced contested mid-range attempts or turnovers amid poor spacing. Williamson’s gravity remains a strength, but complementary movement and decision-making have lagged.
The bench unit of Saddiq Bey (+20), Jordan Poole (+17), Bennedict Mathurin(+17), Derik Queen (+17), and Jeremiah Fears (+17) generated better flow and tempo. Mosley will need clearer actions and improved off-ball activity from the first unit if the offense is to avoid the same stagnation once the regular season begins. If not, Williamson's workload and usage rate will be off the charts.
Perhaps that's fine and will work for a while, but only if that's where Mosley is comfortable. Good offenses make the second and third actions look easy. The Pelicans are stuck on the first, way before Williamson gets to an open three-pointer. Until the spacing and timing improve, the drive-and-kick game with Murphy III that worked in theory during camp will not hold up against NBA defenses.
Article Continues BelowJamahl Mosley's main guys
One preseason game does not erase his track record or invalidate the work being installed during training camp. It does, however, demonstrate how far the Pelicans still have to go. Help was late. Rotations were a beat behind. Closeouts lacked urgency. Drivers reached comfortable spots on the floor before the second defender could affect the possession. How many wrinkles can be ironed out by playing the starters heavy minutes over the next three preseason games?
Make no mistake, the starting five was particularly concerning. Murphy finished his stint at minus-20. Missi was also minus-20. Williamson was minus-23. Preseason plus-minus statistics should never be treated like gospel, but numbers that dramatic usually confirm what was obvious to the eye. The Thunder started faster, reacted quicker, and looked far more connected despite fielding a lineup that will bear little resemblance to the one used when the games matter.
That should bother Mosley more than Missi going 1-of-7 from the field. The Pelicans have talked about defensive accountability throughout the offseason. Jones is an All-Defensive-caliber player. Murray has the length and instincts to create problems. Murphy has the physical tools to defend multiple positions.
By all accounts, Williamson arrived in better condition and should be capable of playing with more sustained effort. NBA Playoffs-ready pieces are in place. The reactions are not. Mosley cannot allow bad defensive habits to survive simply because it is preseason.
If anything, the ugly first half should convince him to give the starting group more minutes together over the remaining exhibition schedule. Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Dejounte Murray cannot show up on Opening Night against the trash-talking Indiana Pacers and look like it's their first game together.