League's F****d

David Rainey • October 5, 2022

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           The leaves have begun to change.  Pumpkin spice is running rampant through your local grocery stores and coffee shops.  And finally, spooky SZN has arrived.

            However, it’s not because Halloween is right around the corner, but because Pelicans’ basketball is back, and HE is back.  By he, I’m talking about none other than the man, the myth, the legend: Zion Williamson.  Unless you’ve been trapped under a rock, you’ve seen the pictures of Zion going around on Twitter and MY GOODNESS does he look incredible.  Side note, the earring is giving me major MJ vibes, but I digress.

            Let’s forget about his physique for now though.  Zion, a recent Patty’s players recipient, is finally healthy and looks happier than ever to be around his teammates.  Every practice highlight we’ve seen of Zion has shown that he has his speed, power, and explosiveness back.  Now, I’ve always been one to try to manage my own expectations, but when reports that Z is “dominating” practices start to circulate, it makes it incredibly difficult to not have excitement start to bubble up inside of me.  It feels like a lifetime since we last saw Zion step on the court, but he’s back.  Also, it seems like he’s seen all the criticism and insults from the peanut gallery.  So, not only is he back, but he’s also back with a chip on his shoulder, and the rest of the league should be terrified.


            But Zion, and Halloween haunted houses, are the only reason the rest of the NBA should be terrified.  This Pelicans roster is young and LOADED.  Arguably, the most loaded roster in team history.  The young rookies from last year, likely, will only be better this season.  Trey Murphy has been all over the internet this offseason, and not only does he look like he grew to a legit 6’9 – 6’10, but he also seems to have taken his shooting and ball handling to another level.  José is said to be shooting the lights out as well, and for the second off season in a row, Coach Willie Green has said that Herb Jones has impressed him more than any other player.  On top of last year’s rookie class, we’re adding a playmaking and athletic point guard to the roster in Dyson Daniels.  The roster is so deep, it’s going to be tough to get all these young guys the minutes they deserve.  I can’t think of a time that the franchise has had more good players than minutes to go around. 


            When you mix in the core of veterans the Pelicans have with its young guys, you have a roster that I truly believe can make a post season run.  I mean, we are dropping a generational talent into a lineup that was already good enough to make the playoffs.  Adding Zion to this lineup is only going to make the game easier for guys like CJ and BI.  Think about all the open looks CJ is going to get when Zion sucks the defense into the lane. Brandon Ingram double teams?  Those are a thing of the past, but if a team dares to try anyway, pray for them.  I even think a guy like Devonte Graham is going to benefit tremendously from Zion being back.  Graham is meant to be a 6th man.  Zion being back will force Graham back into the role he was meant to play, and I believe he’ll thrive in that role.  Especially when he gets to run with Zion and get wide open looks as well. 

            I mentioned managing expectations earlier.  I do think we should all try to do that, at least for the beginning of the season.  Keep in mind that Zion has never played with the majority of the new roster.  It will likely take time for them to gel, so don’t get worked up if they struggle out the gate.  With that said, I think I speak for all 12 of us when I say this is the most excited I’ve ever been for a Pelicans season.  But it’s not only this season I’m excited for, but the future of this franchise has also never been brighter.  One of the best cores of young superstars and role players, an incredible front office, and large trick or treat bag full of draft picks.  It’s the Pelicans turn to step into the spotlight, and the league is f****d. 


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Tight End Room Outlook: Revamped and Ready To Roll

By Kaden Arkeder • July 4, 2026
The tight end room has some fresh blood and they look poised to be more impactful heading into next season. With the new arrivals of Noah Fant and third round draft pick Oscar Delp the offense will have the ability to play more in multiple tight end sets to create mismatches for the defense. Multiple tight end sets should allow the Saints to improve the run game and conversely the play action game. Playing in tight end heavy sets was something they were unable to do more of last year due to injuries and lack of talent at the tight end position. Mainstay and the only returning starting caliber player is Juwan Johnson. Johnson had a good year last year as one of the few reliable targets in the passing game aside from Chris Olave. Johnson is looking to build on a solid year where he had 77 receptions for 889 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. He was a security blanket when Rattler was starting and had quite a few big plays when Shough took over as the starting quarterback. With Shough coming into the season as the presumed starter I expect their connection to be even better next season. Someone hoping to have a better connection with a new QB is Noah Fant. Fant was a first round pick back in 2019 with the Broncos but has never quite lived up to his draft status. Fant will be playing on his third team in three years as he seeks to be a quality rotational piece in the offense and find stability for his career here in New Orleans. Fant should be utilized more in the passing game than in the running game but should be able to hold his own when called upon to do his part on run downs. Fant has been on a statistical decline since his time with Denver as his best receiving season came in at 68/670/4 back in 2021. Although his stats have been declining Fant still has plenty to offer with his athleticism and should produce more given a better opportunity. After Fant in the depth chart should be Oscar Delp who could be the x-factor of the tight end room after being selected in the third round of the draft this year. Delp brings a versatile option to the offense as he can lineup in various spots and handle the rigors of blocking in the run game. Delp’s calling card in college was his elite athleticism which jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He has the ability to turn a five yard catch into an explosive play with how quickly he can get to top speed. Delp is an adequate, willing blocker where like most new tight ends in the league has room to improve in the blocking area of his game. With his versatility and athleticism I believe Delp will play a pivotal role in the offense this upcoming season. With Delp presumed to round out the depth chart at tight end the remaining tight ends will be competing for spots on the practice squad or spots on another team. This group includes Cody Hardy, Treyton Welch, Moliki Matavao, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. We’ve seen Welch and Matavao from last season fill in admirably after some injuries but are best served as bench options at this point in time in their development. This group of roster hopefuls should hopefully provide some good competition from one another as we progress through training camp and preseason here shortly. Overall this group has a lot more promise heading into this season as it did last year. By getting younger and more athletic the tight ends will play a more prominent role in Kellen Moore’s offense. Whether it’s Juwan building on last season or Fant having a bounce back year or Delp proving to be revelation, the team is going to have plenty of options to choose from to attack the defense. Exactly what this team needed after not having enough last season.

Even the Restless can sit still

By Garrison Giddens • June 24, 2026
Why Pelicans fans should be grateful for a boring day 1 of draft night. 
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