After an 0–3 start and two practice days, New Orleans gets another shot at Denver. Herb Jones’ role, the wing combinations and the center rotation should all be under review.
NEW ORLEANS — The Pelicans have had time to breathe, review the film and revisit the decisions that helped turn three competitive games into an 0–3 start. Wednesday’s rematch with the Denver Nuggets needs to show what changed during that break.
For Jamahl Mosley, the first adjustment should be a larger role for Herb Jones. Saddiq Bey and Bennedict Mathurin also deserve a clearer place in the combinations that open games, stabilize the second unit and finish tight fourth quarters.
New Orleans has options. The challenge is choosing groups that can defend, protect the ball and produce a useful possession when the first action breaks down.
Quick Facts
- Matchup: Denver Nuggets (1–2) at New Orleans Pelicans (0–3).
- When and where: Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. Central, Smoothie King Center. Official event details.
- Previous meeting: Denver won 141–135 in overtime on October 24 after trailing by 23.
- Availability: Yves Missi remains out with a left knee contusion/bone bruise; Jordan Poole is listed as probable with an illness in the October 27 report. Designations can change before tipoff.
- Rotation watch: The lineup below is an editorial recommendation. Mosley has acknowledged the need to find Jones more playing time.
Dumars and Herb Jones: The Conversation Is Real, the Meaning Is Unconfirmed
WDSU’s Fletcher Mackel shared footage of executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars speaking with Jones after practice on Monday, October 26. Pelican Debrief reproduced Mackel’s report and video amid growing discussion about Jones’ reduced role.
The public reporting does not establish what Dumars told Jones. It should not be presented as proof of a trade discussion, a confrontation or a demand to change the starting five.
The basketball question is substantial enough on its own. Jones came off the bench in each of the first three games and averaged 17 minutes, according to On SI’s examination of his early-season role. He played 16 minutes in Saturday’s loss at Denver.
Mosley addressed that concern in his Tuesday practice availability: “Finding more time for him is going to be a key priority for me.” He also described evaluating combinations over a five-game sample.
That is an important acknowledgment. The next step is translating it into substitutions that give Jones a meaningful defensive assignment and enough time to influence the game.
Start Herb and Give the First Unit a Clearer Defensive Purpose
My preferred opening group against Denver would be Dejounte Murray, Jones, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson and Derik Queen, assuming all five are available.
| Player | Proposed responsibility |
|---|---|
| Dejounte Murray | Organize the offense and share the work of defending Denver’s guards. |
| Herb Jones | Take the primary perimeter challenge and disrupt the first action. |
| Trey Murphy III | Provide spacing, movement and an immediate scoring outlet. |
| Zion Williamson | Create paint pressure and make the early pass when help arrives. |
| Derik Queen | Screen, connect possessions and earn minutes through defensive rebounding. |
This would move Jeremiah Fears into a more defined reserve role and give Queen the first opportunity at center. Fears can still develop through meaningful possessions alongside established players. His development does not require a guaranteed place in every opening or closing group.
Jones should have a substantial role in the finish, too. If New Orleans needs a stop against Jamal Murray, Mosley should be able to turn to a defender who has been involved throughout the night and understands the coverage being used.
Bey and Mathurin Need Purposeful Opportunities
Bey has already supplied evidence that he can help. He scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting at Utah, then added 14 against Denver. That production deserves consideration when Mosley selects a group to settle the game or maintain pressure on a defense.
Bey should be a serious candidate for more time with the main offensive players. Use him as a floor spacer and a larger wing, with clear instructions to move when defenders turn their attention toward Williamson. A starting opportunity can make sense when the matchup or another player’s availability calls for it.
Mathurin should receive a defined attacking role. Give him possessions designed to get him moving toward the basket, along with a clear decision when the defense cuts off the drive. A spot start should be available if Mosley needs a different backcourt balance, but the larger goal is to make his minutes productive.
Putting Jones, Bey and Mathurin into the starting five together would also force decisions about Murray, Murphy, Williamson and the center position. Mosley needs to identify the best combination rather than promote every reserve at once. I would start with Jones, expand Bey’s opportunities and evaluate Mathurin in groups that give him room to attack.
Build a Center Rotation That Can Survive Without Missi
Missi’s absence remains a major complication. The latest practice and availability reporting leaves New Orleans relying on Queen, DeAndre Jordan, Karlo Matković and selective minutes with Williamson at center. Read our earlier coverage of how Missi’s injury changes the frontcourt.
Queen would be my first option. He scored 17 points off the bench in Denver, giving Mosley a reason to test a larger role. His passing and screening offer ways to keep the offense connected. Against Nikola Jokić, he also needs help from guards who fight through screens and teammates who finish possessions with a rebound.
Matković should get a planned opportunity as the first reserve in that approach. His assignment should be straightforward: run, screen, rebound and make disciplined decisions when drawn away from the basket.
Jordan remains a useful matchup alternative. He started in Missi’s place in the previous meeting, and his size gives Mosley another option against Jokić. A short veteran stint may be the right response if Queen or Matković is struggling with the physical matchup or foul trouble. Starting Jordan again is defensible if the staff sees that as its best way to handle Denver’s opening group; it should come with a clear plan for the minutes that follow.
Williamson at center should be a selective change of pace. Test it against favorable combinations, particularly when Jokić rests. If the smaller group cannot secure defensive rebounds, its extra offensive space will have limited value.
The Break Must Show Up in the Final Two Minutes
In Tuesday’s availability, Mosley said the Pelicans practiced a two-minute game situation to clarify execution, defensive decisions and communication. The unusual gap between games also gave them time to recover and adjust against the same opponent.
That work addresses the right problem. New Orleans led 108–89 entering the fourth quarter in Denver, then lost the period 37–18. The complete breakdown is in our recap of the overtime collapse.
The correction should be visible in how early the Pelicans enter an action. Murray and Williamson need a clear initiating role, Murphy needs purposeful movement, and the other players must know where the next pass should go. Running down the clock while the offense stands still invites a difficult shot and a transition chance at the other end.
Mosley also needs flexibility to substitute for offense or defense at a stoppage. Starting and closing are separate decisions. The players protecting a lead should be selected for the possession in front of them.
Denver Will Test Every Adjustment
The Nuggets arrive at 1–2 after a 134–114 loss to Golden State on Monday. Their uneven start gives New Orleans an opportunity, but Saturday already demonstrated how quickly Denver can punish a vulnerable stretch.
Jamal Murray scored 42 points in that meeting, while Jokić finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. Murphy led the Pelicans with 26, and Dejounte Murray added 22.
Jones can help make Jamal Murray work earlier in a possession. The center must communicate the screen coverage, and the weak-side defenders must account for cuts and rebounds. Repeated automatic double-teams against Jokić risk giving his teammates easy decisions; any help needs a clear purpose and a timely recovery.
What It Means
Three losses do not define Mosley’s tenure. They do create an immediate responsibility to respond to the evidence. The Pelicans have produced enough offense to compete. Their combinations and late-game decisions need to help them preserve that work.
Dumars’ conversation with Jones has drawn attention, but the most useful response will come on the floor: more involvement for Jones, clearer responsibilities for Bey and Mathurin, and a center plan that can change when Denver forces an adjustment.
What’s Next
Wednesday’s 7 p.m. Central tipoff offers New Orleans a direct rematch after the practice break. Watch who starts, when Jones returns after his first rest, which center handles the non-starting minutes and who Mosley trusts in the final possessions.
The Pelicans have reviewed how a winnable game escaped them. Their next opportunity is to turn that review into their first victory.
PPR family: Would you start Herb and Queen, or make a different change? Subscribe to Pelican Post Game Report for game breakdowns and postgame reaction with Big Q, DC and Lexxah.