Pelicans Roll Out Chaotic Starting Lineup as Dejounte Murray Returns

If you had Jeremiah Fears, Dejounte Murray, Jones, Zion Williamson, and Karlo Matkovic on your starting lineup bingo card, please report to the nearest casino immediately.

Underdog NBA reported this chaotic five-man unit for Wednesday, and it is the exact kind of basketball experiment that makes you wonder if the New Orleans Pelicans coaching staff is just throwing darts at a whiteboard.

"Underdog NBA broke the news of the starting lineup on X."

The real headline here is Dejounte Murray. He has been sidelined with an Achilles injury since the start of the season, so getting him back on the floor is a massive win. But pairing a returning star with a rookie like Fears and a deep-cut big man like Matkovic is objectively hilarious.

The wildest part is that the Pelicans are actually rolling right now. After a miserable late-October stretch that had the entire city hitting the panic button, they have suddenly ripped off three straight victories.

You cannot argue with the recent scoreboard. New Orleans just survived an absolute 135-134 shootout against the Memphis Grizzlies, which came right after they blew the doors off the Atlanta Hawks 121-99.

For anyone trying to bet this upcoming game, this rotation is a complete nightmare. You know Zion is going to get his touches and bully his way to the rim, but trying to project the usage rate for a returning Murray alongside a rookie point guard is a great way to lose your mind before halftime.

We will see if this bizarre formula holds up when the Utah Jazz come to town. If this group somehow makes it four wins in a row, we might just have to accept that New Orleans has figured out a chaotic system the rest of the league simply cannot comprehend.