11. New Orleans Pelicans
Best finish: Conference semifinals (two times)
Iconic player(s): Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, David West
Championship outlook: Encouraging
The New Orleans Pelicans have only been in existence for 17 years and have only made it out of the first round of the playoffs twice. Nevertheless, it’s not like all is lost for the Pelicans and their immediate future. After trading Anthony Davis in the offseason, the Pelicans have to feel encouraged about their future.
Led by Zion Williamson, New Orleans should be excited about their potential chances of winning a championship at some point in the not-too-distant future. Zion is widely considered as a generational candidate and that was very much evident by his excellent rookie season.
It’ll be interesting to see how this front office begins to build around Zion, but there’s no question that the Pelicans are on the come-up. Keep an eye on New Orleans; they could emerge as a contender in the West sooner rather than later.