Pelicans 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The New Orleans Pelicans are a team at a crossroads.

Zion Williamson, viewed as the franchise savior when he arrived in 2019, has played 114 games in four seasons. He's set to start a five-year, $197.2 million contract that looks like a potential nightmare if he can't stay on the floor.

The remainder of the roster is filled with talented players who have proven they can't come together and play winning basketball without Williamson on the floor. C.J. McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones all bring value to the table, but not enough to compete without a true star.

Williamson seems eager to prove himself capable of staying healthy, admitting he could have done more to stay in shape early in his career.

If he does, there's a chance we're looking at a breakout team in New Orleans. If not, it's going to be the latest in a long line of Pelican disappointments.

2023-24 Pelicans Schedule Details

Season Opener: at Memphis Grizzlies (Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET)

Championship Odds: +4,700, per FanDuel

Full Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are the Western Conference champions, making them the litmus test for every team in the conference.

If New Orleans wants to test its mettle and playoff preparedness, it starts here.

Nikola Jokić is a matchup nightmare every night, but he and Jonas Valanciunas actually compare well as big-bodied, slower centers who move with purpose. Valanciunas is one of the few centers remaining in basketball with enough strength to move Jokić off the block for rebounds.

Williamson's availability for the matchup will be paramount, as he's by far the biggest matchup advantage for the Pelicans. His wide body and athleticism leaps off the screen against a Denver team that's long but not particularly athletic.

Phoenix Suns

Simply put, the Suns are just going to be an interesting matchup for every team this season.

There may be no more top-heavy team in NBA history. The Suns are set to trot out a lineup that includes Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Deandre Ayton. Then, the remainder of the roster consists of Eric Gordon and a whole heaping pile of G League talent.

The Pelicans have the type of bench that could put the Suns in jeopardy, and their starting lineup fully healthy could be a strong matchup.

Season Forecast

The Pelicans' projection rests entirely on the body of Williamson. If he's healthy, they're going to compete for a playoff spot in the 6-10 range in the Western Conference. If he continues to struggle to stay on the floor, a whole lot of people are getting fired.

General manager David Griffin and coach Willie Green enter the season on the hot seat, and even Williamson's standing as the Pelicans' franchise face is in question. The whispers about Williamson being traded never got very far this summer, but they'll become a rising chorus if New Orleans disappoints in 2023-24.

The smart projection is picking New Orleans to fall somewhere between the two extremes.

Williamson will likely play—and play well–early in the campaign before invariably missing a stretch of games due to injury, at which point the fortunes will take a downturn. This has all the makings of a play-in tournament squad.