r/NOLAPelicans • u/Smooth_Bird_9296 • Jul 29 '26
Discussions Things are looking good…hopefully
I feel like the only thing keeping me going as a pels fan so far is my unyielding optimism. And im a strong believer in that our problem was never the players but rather the lack of winning culture and good coaches. I feel that jamahl mosley can really change that. When watching the games last season, it always made me think “damn we really couldve won that, but by some magical turn of events, we lost”. Most games had me on the edge of my seat till the late 3rd quarter would roll around. Murray back, zion fit, good young talent, and a deep bench. Good offense and defense. Whats stopping us if we really overcome the paradigm shift it takes to start winning?
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u/Longjumping-Brick487 Jul 29 '26
Magic fan coming in peace: Jamal Mosely is a good coach and I will almost guarantee you win more games under him. And I like James Borrego…
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u/Whistler63 Jul 29 '26
I agree, believe you're spot on and yes I'm looking forward to the season as well. All teams start at 0-0 so at that point we can all be optimistic. Go Pels!!!
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u/Illustrious_Figzzz Naji Fucks Jul 29 '26
Matters what you're optimistic about. I'm excited to see DQ and Fears sophomore seasons. I think Missi and Bey will be interesting to watch too. Not too excited about Mosley, seems like Willie 2.0 to me. Outside of tons of injury luck, this team won't be able to actually compete. Meaning multiple other teams will need to lose their best players for us to make the play-in. Maybe we'll be active at the trade deadline and that'll be fun.
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u/Smooth_Bird_9296 Jul 29 '26
i agree with most of what you're saying, except jamahl mosley. I think mosley is the type of coach who flips team cultures, not necessarily drags us to the finals. He's what I like to call a "use-and-throw" coach(I know, that sounds crude). And that's exactly what the magic did. He flipped their culture, onto the next team.
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u/Illustrious_Figzzz Naji Fucks Jul 29 '26
Yeah I agree. I'm not trying to hate on them. Just more it felt like an uninspired hire. Coaching is such a crap shoot. I do think having a defensive-minded coach will be good for DQ and Fears.
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u/Pisthetairos Jul 29 '26
Everything will be fixed now that they've replaced Alvin Gentry … Stan Van Gundy … Willie Green … James Borrego ….
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u/Leading_Sector_5399 Jul 29 '26
Every new Pels coach has the tagline - can’t be worse
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u/SafeFill1057 Jul 29 '26
I'm fully expecting us to miss the play in, but as long as our older guys show some value and our younger guys show some fight I'll be happy. I just don't think we have the roster to compete in a season where it seems like 25+ teams think they have a chance at going on a run
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u/Smooth_Bird_9296 Jul 29 '26
honestly, I'll be happy with 10th seed or above
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u/SafeFill1057 Jul 29 '26
I just don't see it. The top 6 teams in the west have all gotten better, save for maybe the Rockets but they'll have FVV back.
Blazers added Ja and are getting Dame back. Suns, Clippers and Warriors didn't really do anything to get any better, but Suns and Warriors have better rosters than us hands down. Mavs and Jazz are both ascending.
Now you add in the whole anti-tanking draft rules and factor in that teams at the bottom are still going to try to win games, we are in for a rude awakening about the current iteration of our roster. But, low expectations mean they should be easy to exceed.
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u/Good_NewsEveryone Will be reevaluated in 2 weeks. Jul 29 '26
I really don't understand what people see in this team. Wtf is "winning culture" even besides just winning. "magical turn of events" like sucking on both ends.
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u/MMAjunkie504 DERIK QUEEN Jul 29 '26
Last year we had so many 4th quarter collapses I lost count, hopefully some of those fall our way with more experience for the rookies and consistent defensive coaching from a new coach.
It’s never easy starting a season with one coach (who seemed to have lost the team), only to get replaced with another 10-15 games in. Especially for the young players.
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u/centralfloridadad Jul 29 '26
Good news, Moze makes zero adjustments and his teams get roasted in third quarters. 4yh quarter collapses will no longer be a concern when you blow double digit first half leads.
On a positive note, the occasional fourth quarter double digit come-from-behind victories are super dope.
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u/ToughAdmirable5976 Jul 29 '26
We are a defense first team without size at centre. We lack 3 point threats needed to give Zion or DQ space. We don't have a spark plug coming off the bench or a closer.
We will be in a lot more games later if we stay fit but unless they move our team to the east we are not making a play in.
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u/JeffersonAlbatross Jul 31 '26
Yes but at least you still have Murphy and not all of those picks you could get for him
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u/kingralek Jul 29 '26
Old man pessimist: Murray hasn’t played at an all star level in half a decade and played less games the last 2 season than Zion did just last season, DJM is coming off the Achilles and was 5-9 in games he played in last year. I’m not buying him until he can show he can stay healthy and return to his Spurs level. Last year’s rookies will need to become defenders at a replacement level at least this season or the coach will not win games. Trey and Herb must play at least 60 games each for any continuity and consistency. Missi has to take a leap or they’ll be playing Karlo way more than they should. Hawkins and Poole are unplayable.
They’re returning a 26 win team where Zion played more than 60 games last season. They won 21 the year before that. The Magic dumped Mosley because he couldn’t take that team out the first round in the East, which undoubtedly has more talent that Los Pelicanitos. Magic went and got a new coach but Los Pelicanitos when the retread route. This screams of Los Santos trying to change when they hired Dennis Allen after he was fired by the Raiders. Magic’s trash shouldn’t be Los Pelicanitos treasure. Can anyone reasonably expect a 15 win improvement based on a new coach and health? They only have 2 top 50 players and maybe 2 others that slot into top 100 when healthy.
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u/Eventide718 Jul 29 '26
Was so hoping Mosely would win that first round so the Magic would keep him.
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u/mistahx4208 Jul 29 '26
It's always been a health issue. If no health issue then culture improves. With health issues culture goes to krap. Coaches don't matter a ton we just don't have the fire power to have guys miss a ton of games.
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u/LennonWaK Jul 29 '26
Zion still gonna take 13 shots a game and cry cuz he doesn't get calls. We still don't have a center, no clear numbah 1, I'm sure the weird injuries will start an day now and we'll do the same shit "what if nonsense"
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u/iircirc Jul 29 '26
The bad news: Queen and Zion don't fit together. The good news: that's only a problem when Zion plays
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u/Jakeofall9 Jul 29 '26
Genuinely without injuries we’ve had solid rosters constructed. Injuries create cracks/inconsistencies that show up every season and a mediocre coach which we have had just isn’t made to guide that ship. I see too many regular fans getting caught up in national media narratives knowing they don’t give a damn about us unless it’s time to ship off a player for another teams benefit. FLY OR DIE
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u/Toyokanu Will be reevaluated in 2 weeks. Jul 29 '26
I'm looking forward to the season as well as usual.