16. New Orleans Pelicans
Marquee summer move: Drafting Zion Williamson
To say that the New Orleans Pelicans received a facelift this summer would be an understatement. While they may have lost their franchise player by trading Anthony Davis to the Lakers, they may have acquired a generational talent in Zion Williamson via the 2019 NBA Draft.
But it’s not just Zion that the Pelicans should be excited about. In the trade for AD, they also acquired Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart. Not to mention that Jrue Holiday is still on the roster, and they signed JJ Redick during free agency.
If the Pelicans didn’t reside in the Western Conference, I’d be making the case that this team could make the playoffs. However, in the West, I just can’t see it. Unless Zion has the type of rookie season that we frankly haven’t seen before.