The Pelicans do not lack centers. They lack certainty about which combination of youth, defense, spacing and experience should anchor Jamahl Mosley’s frontcourt.
By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily
August 24, 2026
The New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2026-27 season with one of the NBA’s most crowded but unsettled center rooms.
New Orleans currently has Yves Missi, Derik Queen, Karlo Matković, DeAndre Jordan and Christian Koloko under standard NBA contracts as center options. Rookie forward-center Malik Dia occupies a two-way contract, while Zion Williamson and Trendon Watford can supply situational small-ball minutes.
That is not a shortage of bodies.
The real question is whether the Pelicans have the correct blend of rim protection, rebounding, shooting and playoff-level reliability. Missi and Queen are major young building blocks. Matković offers shooting. Koloko supplies defensive upside. Jordan gives Jamahl Mosley a veteran voice. Dia is a developmental project.
Adding another free-agent center would only make sense if that player provides a skill the current group cannot consistently deliver—or if New Orleans first clears a roster spot through a trade or release.
Yves Missi remains the defensive development bet
Missi gives New Orleans its clearest traditional young-center profile.
At 6-foot-11, he runs the floor, plays above the rim and has the physical tools to become a dependable pick-and-roll defender. His best offensive work comes as a screener, rim runner and offensive rebounder rather than a post scorer or floor spacer.
Mosley’s defensive system should help him. The Pelicans need their centers to communicate earlier, protect the paint without surrendering corner threes and finish possessions with rebounds. Missi has the athleticism to handle those responsibilities, but recognition and consistency must improve.
He does not need a larger offensive role merely because he is entering another season. He needs to become elite at the jobs that fit him: screen, sprint, defend, rebound and finish.
If Missi does that, he can start even when other centers possess more offensive skill.
Derik Queen is the offensive wild card
Queen changes the center conversation because he is not a conventional rim-running big.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound sophomore can handle the ball, pass from the elbows, score around the basket and create offense when a possession breaks down. His feel makes him one of the most important pieces on the roster.
The challenge is defensive fit.
If Queen holds up in space, communicates and rebounds consistently, his offensive talent could force Mosley to build major portions of the rotation around him. If opponents repeatedly target him in pick-and-roll coverage, New Orleans may need Missi or Koloko beside—or behind—him.
Queen should receive center minutes, but the Pelicans should not force him to play only one position. Pairing him with a rim protector could preserve his offensive advantages while reducing the amount of defensive ground he must cover.
That makes the Missi-Queen combination one of training camp’s most important experiments.
Karlo Matković supplies the spacing
Matković gives the room something none of the traditional centers reliably supplies: proven perimeter shooting.
He shot 42.2 percent from three-point range on 90 attempts last season, the best percentage on the Pelicans. That shooting can open driving lanes for Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole.
Matković is not only a stationary shooter. He can run the floor and finish above the rim, but his ability to drag a defender away from the paint is the skill that makes him different.
The defensive questions remain. New Orleans must determine whether Matković can protect the rim and survive physical matchups well enough for his shooting to stay on the floor. If he can, he has a legitimate rotation path. If not, he becomes a matchup specialist rather than an every-night answer.
DeAndre Jordan brings experience, not a 30-minute role
The Pelicans re-signed Jordan in July, retaining one of the NBA’s most experienced centers.
Jordan should not be expected to carry a major regular-season workload at 38. His value is narrower and still useful: rebounding, screening, physicality, locker-room leadership and emergency minutes against large opponents.
For a roster built around young centers, a veteran who understands positioning and preparation can be valuable. The problem would come if New Orleans blocks developmental minutes simply because Jordan feels safer on a difficult night.
Use him strategically. Let him mentor consistently. Those two ideas can coexist.
Christian Koloko may be the most interesting defensive reserve
Koloko adds length, mobility and shot-blocking potential.
At 6-foot-11, he has the frame to protect the rim and enough movement ability to defend beyond the restricted area. His offensive role should remain simple: screen, dive, rebound and finish.
Health and consistency will determine whether he separates from the crowded group. Koloko does not need touches called for him, but he must prove that the defense performs better when he is on the court.
If that happens, he could become the low-cost defensive reserve Mosley trusts behind Missi and Queen.
Malik Dia is a Laketown Squadron development project
Dia signed a two-way contract after averaging 14.5 points and 5.7 rebounds at Ole Miss last season.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound rookie has a stretch-five frame and offensive skill, but he needs professional repetitions. His most productive path should include significant time with the Laketown Squadron, where he can defend centers, expand his shooting range and learn NBA coverages without being limited to occasional garbage-time possessions.
Two-way development should be intentional. The Pelicans should give Dia specific benchmarks in rebounding, screen defense, conditioning and three-point volume, then evaluate the progress monthly.
The best available centers on the market
As of August 24, several veteran and developmental centers remain unsigned. The list is not especially strong, and every option carries a clear limitation.
| Player | What he could provide | Main concern |
|---|---|---|
| Kelly Olynyk | Shooting, passing and offensive organization | Age, defense and overlap with Queen/Matković |
| Bismack Biyombo | Rebounding, physical defense and rim protection | No spacing and limited offensive versatility |
| Mason Plumlee | Screening, passing and veteran stability | Declining mobility and limited shooting |
| Dwight Powell | Rim running, screening and professional reliability | Limited rim protection and floor spacing |
| Drew Eubanks | Energy, mobility and conventional backup minutes | Does not clearly upgrade the current top group |
| Duop Reath | Pick-and-pop shooting and frontcourt size | Defensive consistency and limited creation |
| Tony Bradley | Rebounding and low-cost traditional center depth | Similar skill set to players already on roster |
| N’Faly Dante or Jesse Edwards | Younger developmental competition | Little proven NBA production |
Olynyk is the most interesting offensive fit because he can pass and shoot. He would also duplicate skills New Orleans wants Queen and Matković to develop, and he would not solve the need for switchable defense.
Biyombo is the clearest defense-and-rebounding specialist. However, signing another non-shooting center would make the paint even more crowded around Williamson.
The other veterans are useful, but none is an obvious enough upgrade to justify squeezing an existing center out of the rotation before camp.
How Mosley should organize the rotation
Mosley should enter camp with roles instead of a predetermined depth chart.
- Defensive starter competition: Missi versus Queen, depending on matchup and frontcourt pairing.
- Offensive connector: Queen as an elbow creator, post scorer and occasional power forward.
- Spacing center: Matković in lineups built around Williamson’s drives.
- Defensive reserve: Koloko against rim pressure and athletic frontcourts.
- Veteran insurance: Jordan against physical centers and during injury stretches.
- Development track: Dia with Birmingham and selected NBA call-ups.
Not every center can play every night. Mosley must be willing to use matchup-based rotations while keeping developmental priorities clear.
The worst outcome would be trying to keep everyone happy with short, inconsistent stints that prevent any combination from building rhythm.
Big Q’s Take
The Pelicans should not sign another center right now.
New Orleans already has too many players competing for the same minutes. The front office should first learn whether Missi and Queen can play together, whether Matković’s shooting survives defensively and whether Koloko can become a dependable reserve.
Signing another veteran simply because the name is familiar would create more congestion without creating a better team.
If camp proves that the current room cannot rebound or defend physical centers, Biyombo would be the cleanest specialist. If the offense desperately needs passing and spacing, Olynyk would be the most skilled alternative. Neither need is strong enough today to justify moving before evaluation.
The Pelicans’ job is not to collect centers. It is to develop a functional rotation.
Why It Matters
Center play will shape both sides of Mosley’s first Pelicans team.
Williamson needs space to attack. The guards need reliable screeners. The defense needs rim protection and rebounding. Queen and Missi need minutes to become foundational players, but New Orleans also needs enough veteran stability to avoid sacrificing games for development.
The pieces are already on the roster. Mosley must determine which combinations create the best balance.
Prediction: Missi begins the season as the nominal defensive starter, Queen plays starter-level minutes across both frontcourt positions, and New Orleans stays out of the veteran-center market unless an injury or trade changes the roster.
Confidence level: 76%
Gee Bino is a senior writer and columnist for The Who Dat Daily, covering the New Orleans Saints, Pelicans, LSU athletics and the Gulf South sports landscape. Follow The Who Dat Daily and Pelican Post Game Report for daily news, analysis and exclusive team coverage.
