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Rockets have laid the perfect blueprint for Pelicans rookies to thrive

The New Orleans Pelicans' season hasn't been off to an ideal start, but their young players are starting to draw some elite comparisons.

New Orleans Pelicans v Houston Rockets | Carmen Mandato/GettyImages

The 2025-26 season hasn’t gotten off to an ideal start for the New Orleans Pelicans. The team currently holds the fourth-worst record in the league at 2-8 and also has the third-worst net rating at -12.9. On top of this, Zion Williamson has already missed the same number of games as he’s played, Trey Murphy III has been struggling, and Jordan Poole hasn’t met expectations as a starter.