NBA

After torching the Warriors on Tuesday, Murray could not rebound from a slow start in Friday’s loss to New Orleans. He began 2-of-7 from the field, and suffering a left hip injury during the second quarter didn’t help. Murray did return and go on to play 38 minutes, but a solid second season in the NBA came to a disappointing end. Beginning the season with a Yahoo ADP of 104.5, the 2022 lottery pick ranked just outside the top 50 in 8- and 9-cat formats. The key for Murray moving forward will be to play with consistent aggression and not go through stretches in which he’s overly deferential to De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. At a minimum, he’ll be worth selecting with a top-75 pick in standard league drafts.

Barnes was solid in his final game of the season, duplicating his point total from Tuesday’s win over the Kings. Something evident in the Kings’ six games against the Pelicans (all losses) was a need to get more athletic on the wings. Sacramento should emphasize improving that area of the roster during the offseason, especially in free agency. Barnes has two seasons remaining on his contract, but the positions held by him and Kevin Huerter (when healthy) for most of the 2023-24 campaign are worth keeping an eye on. Entering the season with a Yahoo ADP of 143.4, Barnes finished ranked outside the top 150 in 8- and 9-cat formats. He should be a late-round pick, at best, next season if his role does not change.

As was the case on many nights, Sabonis recorded a double-double in his final game of the 2023-24 season. He recorded a league-best 77 double-doubles, including 61 straight at one point. Sabonis posted a full stat line on Friday, par for the course for a player who provided top 20 per-game value in 8-cat formats. He finished the season ranked 30th in 9-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. Sabonis did not make good on his Yahoo ADP (15), but he wasn’t far off, with free-throw percentage (70.4%) and turnovers (3.3 per game) being the issues. He’s unlikely to last past the end of the second round in most drafts next fall.

Fox produced a gaudy point total in his final action of the 2023-24 season, but the Pelicans made him work for his numbers. The Kings point guard was inefficient, shooting 4-of-16 from three while committing five turnovers. While Fox’s scoring (26.6), rebound (4.6), and steal (2.0) averages increased in comparison to last season, his field-goal and free-throw percentages decreased. However, that did not prevent him from providing 2nd-round per-game value in 8- and 9-cat formats, and the same can be said for Fox’s totals value. If he’s to threaten 1st-round value in 2024-25, the percentages need to improve.

Due to Zion Williamson (hamstring) sitting, Murphy was back in the starting lineup for Friday’s “winner-take-all” matchup with the Kings. He was productive, with the turnover count (four) being the most significant issue. During the regular season, Murphy averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 3.3 3-pointers per game in 23 starts. At a minimum, the Pelicans will need similar production in their first-round series against the Thunder, which will begin on Sunday.

To begin with a positive, McCollum recorded a full stat line as the Pelicans earned the 8-seed in the West. However, he had another quiet night on offense, with Friday’s effort occurring with Zion Williamson (hamstring) sidelined. The good news for the Pelicans is that their bench stepped up, with Jose Alvarado (10/5/2/2/1 with one 3-pointer) and Naji Marshall (13/4/3/2) reaching double figures. The bench contributions will be critical against the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, but the Pelicans will need more from McCollum regardless of how well the reserves play.

There have been times this season when the Pelicans used Zion Williamson at the five, relegating Valanciunas to the bench. With the Pelicans’ best player out with a hamstring injury, JV’s minutes appear to be more secure. However, Friday’s matchup had much to do with that, as he logged 27 minutes against fellow Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis. Valanciunas recorded a solid double-double with a few assists and blocks, and this is the level of production the Pelicans will need from him with Williamson out. However, Larry Nance Jr. could figure more prominently in the first-round series against Oklahoma City due to the Thunder’s lack of a bruiser in the middle. Nance played 21 minutes on Friday, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

With Zion Williamson (hamstring) out, Ingram had to do more as a scorer. He answered the call, shooting 50% from the field while dishing out six assists. Ingram was responsible for four turnovers, but the overall production (and contributions from the bench) were more than enough to make up for that. Also of greater significance was Ingram playing 37 minutes without issues; he logged 23 and 25 minutes in his first two games after returning from a knee injury. The Pelicans advance into the playoffs, where they’ll face No. 1-seed Oklahoma City in the first round. Game 1 is on Sunday night in OKC.

Give Donsunmu credit for not allowing the shooting struggles to limit what he did in other areas, as he accumulated four assists, three steals, and two blocked shots. However, a cold night from three (2-of-11) sank Dosunmu’s field-goal percentage like a stone. Friday was a disappointing ending for a player who made significant strides after the Bulls lost Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams to season-ending foot injuries. Dosunmu provided 11th-round per-game value in 9-cat formats and 12th-round value in 8-cat. Where he’s selected in drafts ahead of next season depends on the availability of LaVine and Williams, with the latter being a restricted free agent.

Caruso was a game-time decision for Friday after injuring his foot during the first half of Wednesday’s win over the Hawks. While he played starters’ minutes, he did not have much impact on either end of the floor. The limited scoring output was unsurprising, but the Bulls struggled to defend Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. with a limited Caruso on the court. The rugged guard finished the season as a 5th-round player in 8- and 9-cat formats, exceeding his Yahoo ADP (140.7) by a significant margin. The only way Caruso is off the board in standard leagues ahead of the 100th pick will be if Zach LaVine (foot), Lonzo Ball (knee), and Patrick Williams (foot) aren’t available for the start of next season and pending free agent DeMar DeRozan is not re-signed.