Wednesday: The Pelicans Big Picture

Chrissy Smith • August 19, 2026

Who Will Be the Pelicans' Best Role Players Next Season?

NEW ORLEANS -- When we talk about the New Orleans Pelicans, the conversation naturally starts with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray.

But as all real basketball fans know, good teams aren't built on stars alone. The players filling the roles around them often determine whether a talented roster actually becomes a winning team. And heading into next season, the Pelicans have several players who could make a major impact without being the team's biggest names.

Herb Jones

If we're talking about role players, Jones is the obvious place to start. His offensive numbers may not jump off the page, but as real Pelicans fans know, that's not why he's valuable. Jones can defend multiple positions, disrupt passing lanes and take on the opponent's best perimeter scorer.

With Jamahl Mosley emphasizing defense, Jones could become the player who sets the tone for the entire team.

Yves Missi

Missi could be one of the most important role players on the roster.

The former first-round pick enters his third NBA season after starting 67 games as a rookie and averaging more than eight rebounds per game. His job isn't to become a 20-point scorer. Protect the rim. Set good screens. Rebound. Run the floor. Finish around the basket.

If Missi consistently does those things, he'll make life easier for Zion and the Pelicans' perimeter players.

Saddiq Bey

Don't overlook Bey.

He brings size, shooting and experience to a roster that needs dependable two-way players. If he can consistently knock down open shots and defend multiple positions, he could quietly become one of Mosley's most trusted bench players.

If Jones anchors the defense, Missi controls the paint, Hawkins provides shooting and Bey supplies versatility, New Orleans suddenly has the kind of supporting cast that can make its stars significantly better.

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Jordyn Tyson Officially Hamstrung

By Kaden Arkeder • August 19, 2026
Well, it’s official. Jordyn Tyson is expected to miss two months due to his hamstring injury he suffered during practice. What a major blow to the team and fans who have been eager to see his talent out on the field. We’ll all have to wait a while longer before we Jordyn Tyson in a game. Unfortunately you cannot say this news comes as surprise. It was well known and documented Jordyn Tyson had quite the injury history throughout his collegiate career. The Saints were hoping he’d be able to leave those injuries in the past by slow playing his recovery during the offseason and give him a slow build up. But ultimately the plan did not work and now the Saints have to begin the season without their presumed number two receiver. With Tyson being out the Saints will have to piece together his absence with the other young wide receivers who have been standing out during camp and preseason. Guys like Bryce Lance, Barion Brown, and possibly even Bub Means could help fill the void although they wouldn’t be able to completely replace Jordyn Tyson’s talent and the attention he would demand to make Olave’s job easier. When players of this stature go down it’s never one player having to pick up the slack, it’s on everyone in the huddle to take on a little extra to cover up the loss. Another caveat of the Tyson injury now is the added importance of Chris Olave himself being able to stay healthy in the absence of Jordyn Tyson. Olave himself has had his fair share of injury history and ultimately was unable to play a full season until last year although it did end on a scary note with the blood clot. The Saints can survive if one of the two are out at a time but I don’t know if they would be able to overcome if both were out given the lack of experience behind them. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that and Olave and company can hold down the fort just fine until Tyson is ready to make his debut. We will all just have to continue anxiously waiting for that moment, hopefully the Saints can make it a little easier on us by winning in the meantime.

Tuesday: Pelicans Roster Reality

By Chrissy Smith • August 18, 2026
Who Closes Games for the Pelicans?
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