Pelicans could be facing end of an era with play-ins

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green.

After a 49-win season, the New Orleans Pelicans dropped into the play-in tournament. If they can’t advance to the playoffs, their team could see big changes next year.

The Pelicans had what was a very successful season on paper. They tied for the second-most wins in New Orleans history, equaling the mark of the 2008-09 team, but falling short of the 56-win 2007-08 team. But if they can’t get past the Lakers, and either the Kings or Warriors after that, the season will likely be considered a disappointment, and changes will come.

For one, the Pelicans’ success didn’t translate to attendance. New Orleans ranked 24th in attendance this season. They’re also suffering from what one columnist called “play-in fatigue,” with extremely slow ticket sales for Tuesday’s play-in game with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The team also has some roster decisions to make, with the team already close to the luxury-tax line. Center Jonas Valanciunas can become a free agent, and his playing time has been extremely variable recently. A bigger issue is that Brandon Ingram is heading into the last year of his contract, and he’s had another injury-filled year.

The Pelicans can still extend Ingram, but they’ll need to make that decision quickly. If the two can’t come to terms, or New Orleans decides to move on, the Pelicans will look to trade Ingram for fear of losing him for nothing next summer. With C.J. McCollum also making big money, the Pelicans may hesitate to pay a premium for a team that isn’t making the playoffs.

There’s even a possibility that head coach Willie Green could be a scapegoat if the team falls short this week. It wouldn’t be justified, but executive vice president David Griffin might feel pressure to make changes after five years at the helm of the team.

Of course, the Pelicans could quiet the rumors by simply beating the Lakers Tuesday. But the longer the play-in lasts for them, the more volatile the Pelicans’ future looks.

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