Last place has a way of stripping away illusions before the NBA Trade Deadline, and for the voodoo-hexed New Orleans Pelicans, the core questions are glaring. Zion Williamson was supposed to be the closer, the gravitational force who bent late-game possessions to his will. Trey Murphy III has surged into an All-Star-level role, providing spacing and shot-making. All-Rookie wonder Derik Queen, meanwhile, has accelerated expectations entirely, already drawing stylistic comparisons to Nikola Jokic for his vision and feel.
Interim head coach James Borrego has leaned into pragmatism rather than reinvention. With the Pelicans buried in the standings, his focus has been less on cleverness and more on clarity.
“We are living in the moment,” Borrego admitted. “We obviously have some base stuff that we are going to, then we've just got to play out of that. We've got to go make plays. There is nothing tricky. We can pull up a game…most NBA games, there is no trick play out there. You're putting your best players in position to go make plays.”
That approach reflects both necessity and philosophy. The Pelicans do not have the luxury of installing expansive sets or reinventing roles midseason. Injuries, inconsistency, and the pressure of the standings have narrowed the margin for error. Borrego has responded by shrinking the playbook and expanding responsibility for Williamson, Murphy III, and Queen.
“Sometimes I like variety, going off-ball versus on-ball,” Borrego shared. “(Queen) is one of those guys we'll play through off-ball because he can pass. (Williamson) is more on-ball, (Murphy III) is a little bit of both. So we're trying to move the chess pieces around, but more than anything, being simple in what we are doing, going out, executing, and making a play. I think that is the best thing we can do as coaches. Just put players in position to make plays. Put your best players in and let them go from there.”
The chess metaphor fits, but only to a point.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) grabs a rebound away from New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) and forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second half at Smoothie King Center.
Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
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This is not about elaborate combinations several moves ahead. It is about recognizing which piece belongs where in a given moment and resisting the temptation to overthink.
“So some of it is feel on the fly, like who is hot, and going into matchups,” Borrego said. “That's most NBA games. We are going into matchups, maybe picking on a weaker defender. That's a thing you'll see closing out at the end of games. Its one of our things, not the only thing, but one of the things we look at.”
The simplified approach extends to the team's overall playbook. Borrego acknowledged his group can't handle extensive offensive sets, particularly given the circumstances of an interim coaching change mid-season.
“There are probably three or four sets in general that you're going to,” explained Borrego. “My group certainly can't handle more than that, like, we're trying to keep it as simple as possible and execute. Get the ball in the right player's hands, and now from there they've got to make plays. That's what they get paid to do, and they're beautiful, wonderful players. They do it better than anyone in the world, and they get paid well to do it. Now it's about closing and making those plays at the end of games.”
That honesty underscores where the Pelicans truly stand. This is not a finished product trying to tweak around the margins. It is a team still determining which actions, combinations, and personalities translate under pressure.
As the deadline approaches, league executives will watch closely to see whether New Orleans chooses to reallocate assets, consolidate roles, or simply buy time. Internally, the approach is already set. Simplify. Prioritize. Put the ball in the hands that matter most. For now, moving chess pieces around does not mean chasing a grandmaster’s solution. It means acknowledging the board as it exists and making the next move count.