The 2024-25 season wasn't one to remember for the New Orleans Pelicans. They rostered 25 different players, dealt with tons of injuries and finished with the 4th worst record in the NBA. Despite last season being a wash, some guys still had good individual years, like Trey Murphy, Yves Missi, Antonio Reeves, and Bradon Boston Jr. But the same can't be said for Jordan Hawkins. The now 23-year-old was coming off a very solid rookie season in 2023-24, but he came into his second year and had a massive sophomore slump.
Throughout his college and NBA career, Hawkins was known to be a knockdown three-point shooter, but in year 2, he only shot 33.1% from deep on 5.9 attempts a night. A considerable part of his regression last season came from dealing with a back injury, which he has been fighting since his college days at UConn. But after sitting out the final month of last season, Hawkins should have plenty of recovery time and be ready for a bounce-back season.
What can we expect?
From his first day in the NBA, Jordan Hawkins has made it clear he doesn't lack confidence. In his seventh game in the NBA, he scored 31 points and hit seven three-pointers. Hawkins showed just how fearless he is, taking 19 shots in his seventh professional game. But in his sophomore season, you could tell the back injuries were taking a toll on Hawkins and affecting his confidence as a shooter.
Hawkins often hesitated to shoot, and when he did shoot, it wasn't as effortless or smooth as it was during his rookie year. But I mean, you can't blame him. We've seen what back injuries can do to guys in the NBA, especially good three-point shooters. Look at the toll back injuries took on someone like Larry Bird, whose shooting ability regressed as his back injuries worsened.
History shows that the Pelicans made the right call by letting Hawkins sit out the last month of the season and continue to heal this lingering back injury. Allowing Hawkins to rest and get healthy will help him have a huge bounce-back year.
I'd argue that the main reason Hawkins struggled last season from deep was injuries. His skill set is very much there, and his ability to move off the ball and knock down three-pointers makes him an ideal fit in the backcourt with Dejounte Murray. Hawkins isn't just a good fit with Murray, he is also a great fit with Zion Williamson. Zion consistently draws two defenders in the paint, and Hawkins is the kind of shooter who can punish help defenses.
With Herb Jones's departure likely, Hawkins has a perfect chance to take over as the team's starting shooting guard. His incredible three-point shooting is something that New Orleans desperately needs in its starting five, as they ranked in the bottom five in all major three-point statistics last season.
With an entire summer to recover and work on his game, Jordan Hawkins is in the perfect spot for a bounce-back year. The 2025-26 season could be a make-or-break season for his future in New Orleans, but the tools are still there: the shot-making ability, confidence and basketball IQ. So don't be surprised if Hawkins has a Most Improved Player-caliber season in 2025.