ESPN's Top 100

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Maybe Jones should rank higher here, considering he's coming off a campaign in which he made the All-Defensive first team and finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Jones turned into a reliable 3-point shooter (41.8%) in Year 3. Perhaps it's time to pump up the volume in that area. Durable and stifling as a defender, Jones could pair with Dejounte Murray in small-ball lineups to form a frightening defensive backcourt for opponents this season. Jones deserves to stay in New Orleans' starting lineup considering he has started in at least 66 games in every year of his career and is still improving. -- Wright

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McCollum shot a career-best 42.9% from range last season on high volume (8.4 attempts per game) as an off-ball scorer. But injuries to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram in the playoffs left McCollum as a primary facilitator and he struggled, committing more than twice as many turnovers (4.0 per game) as in the regular season (1.7) while shooting 24.1% from 3-point range. There's a possibility McCollum could be coming off the bench this season as a sixth man because of the sheer number of players in the backcourt, and the veteran has expressed he's fine with a reduced role. -- Wright

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Murray averaged a career-high 22.5 points last season and cranked up his 3-point volume to 7.1 attempts per game while drilling his highest percentage (36.3%) from deep since the 2019-20 season. David Griffin, the Pelicans' executive vice president of basketball operations, calls Murray "an elite playmaker" and saw his playmaking skills as a major need, especially down the stretch of tight games, which is why New Orleans traded for him. Murray's leadership and two-way ability should improve the Pels on both ends of the floor, and he has no shortage of targets in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. -- Michael Wright

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Ingram fell 13 spots this season because of his decline in points (20.8), rebounds (5.1) and assists (5.7) from the previous season. The former No. 2 pick's 3-point field goal percentage (35.5%) dipped as well, despite the veteran knocking down a career-best 53.4% on 2-point field goals. Uncertainty abounds for Ingram because of the new CBA. He's eligible to sign a four-year extension worth $208 million, but there's a chance the club could let Ingram hit unrestricted free agency next offseason or move him under value at the deadline. The Dejounte Murray addition provides another attacking threat along with Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, which should only improve Ingram's prospects for increased production. -- Wright

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Williamson rose 30 spots thanks to his availability this season. That allowed the former No. 1 pick the ability to consistently showcase his electric skill set. Williamson played a career-high 70 games, averaging 22.9 points and 5.8 rebounds as New Orleans advanced to its second postseason during his tenure. The club's brass indicated the 2024 offseason would be the most pivotal of Williamson's budding career, especially after he suffered an injury in the play-in tournament that left him unavailable for the postseason. Williamson responded with twice-daily workouts this summer and a healthier diet that has rounded him into the type of shape that has him poised for yet another jump in the rankings. -- Wright

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