2022 Orlando Magic Playoff Lessons: New Orleans Pelicans laid out the blue print without free agency

The New Orleans Pelicans, without Zion Williamson, found themselves struggling to start the season.

They were sitting at 1-12 after a nine-game losing streak at the start of the season and were 8-21 at their lowest point.

Through the early part of the season, no one would blame the Pelicans for thinking about their future and trying to collect ping pong balls — surrounding an All-Star in Brandon Ingram and an injured star in Zion Williamson with another high draft pick. This is what small market teams do when the floor drops out.

New Orleans just did not seem to have an identity or clue of what direction the team should go in. And rumors just persisted about Zion Williamson’s discontent in New Orleans and his growing desire to get out even before his rookie contract expired.

Things seemed to be down in New Orleans.

Things changed for the Pelicans suddenly. Things started to click as the team stuck with Willie Green and found its center. Yes, Williamson was out for the entire year, but Ingram returned from an early injury and started to find his groove.

New Orleans was percolating. Then the team suddenly pushed its chips in. And the bet paid off with a trip to the Play-In Tournament and a surprising run into the postseason.

The New Orleans Pelicans seemed dead in the water. Instead, they stuck to the culture they were building, made their run and showed how a team can rebuild quickly without free agency.

The surprising trade to acquire CJ McCollum tipped an interesting young team over the top. This team was ready to make that push and pushed its chips in. They not only surprised their way through the Play-In Tournament, winning twice to make the Playoff field. They pushed the heavy title favorites in the Phoenix Suns to six games in the first round.

The Pelicans showed that it is possible to build a team through the draft and trade market. And do so quickly, even through injuries and other pieces of adversity.

Despite the questionable move of not re-signing Lonzo Ball, the Pelicans have a bright future and may prove to be a contender in the Western Conference next season. The rest of their roster construction is to be praised, considering the position they found themselves in starting with the Anthony Davis trade.

New Orleans is stocked with draft picks thanks to that trade for Davis, one that helped them net a high draft pick in this year’s draft anyway (used to select G-League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels).

That was not the only move the Pelicans made. This season, the Pelicans were able to acquire CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas to play vital parts in getting the team back into the playoffs and competing in the first round. These were trades that steered the organization in the right direction going into the next season.

Swapping Steven Adams for Jonas Valanciunas in the offseason gave the Pelicans a veteran who could contribute on both ends and stabilize the team by excelling at his role. Acquiring McCollum gave the team a scorer to boost an already strong offense and give the team a firmer identity.

The Magic now find themselves in a similar position entering next season.

Drafting Paolo Banchero is number one overall surrounded by young talented players. There is no telling what Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter, Markelle Fultz or even Jalen Suggs will become. But they are foundations that they can build around if everyone buys into the culture and develops effectively.

Now, the Magic need to start making strides in the right direction. Orlando will be looking at the New Orleans’ blueprint to determine its next steps.

Neither team is a high free agent destination. But like New Orleans, Orlando has the assets to make the trade, whether it be young players or draft picks to take that next step. The Magic have done a great job holding on to their picks while also holding the Chicago Bulls’ pick in 2023 and Denver Nuggets’ pick in 2025.

It seems the Pelicans have turned the corner last season with their playoff berth. Now getting back Zion Williamson will make them dangerous in the Western Conference.

At the same time, Orlando is heading toward the corner. But it is yet to be determined how the Magic handle those assets.

The Magic will soon either show signs of turning that corner or will show signs of something that went wrong. Orlando started on the right path, and now they have a blueprint to get them to the next step.