Jamahl Mosley's most difficult preseason assignment may be finding enough minutes for everyone on the New Orleans Pelicans' roster.

An NBA team has 240 regulation minutes available each game. Eight returning Pelicans—Trey Murphy, Saddiq Bey, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Yves Missi—combined to average 223.1 minutes last season.

Give Bennedict Mathurin a projected 25-minute role, and New Orleans is already beyond 240 without accounting for Jordan Poole, Bryce McGowens, Karlo Matković, or anyone else.

So, how could things shake out this year?

Pelicans' rotation full of dilemmas entering 2026-27 season

The problem begins at point guard. Murray averaged 27.8 minutes, and Fears played 25.8 minutes as a rookie. Fears should take on a larger workload in Year 2, but Murray remains a well-paid vet who averaged 6.4 assists in 14 games last season.

Both may have to play minutes off the ball, but moving either player to shooting guard adds to an existing logjam there.

Jones averaged 28.4 minutes last season, and Mosley likely wants his defense on the floor. Mathurin will probably get at least 25 minutes. McGowens shot 40.9 from three, so he should get a chance, and Poole, in the final year of his contract, is still available. Jordan Hawkins was traded, but in comes primary SG AJ Johnson. Where does that leave Kobe Bufkin or Jarron Pierre?

The wing is just as crowded. Murphy led the Pelicans in minutes per game at 35.5 and will remain near that level. Bey averaged 31.2 minutes while shooting 36.7 percent from deep. Jones may see minutes at small forward, while Mathurin, McGowens and Zion WIlliamson could get opportunities there as well.

Williamson averaged 29.7 minutes last season, but New Orleans should want at least 32 from him this year. Queen averaged 25 minutes as a rookie and needs playing time to develop. Missi's minutes dropped to 19.7, but those will probably increase. Matković averaged 14.7 while shooting 42.2 percent from beyond the arc in limited volume. DeAndre Jordan provides size and experience, but probably only against selected matchups.

That imbalance matters because New Orleans allowed 120 points and 45.8 rebounds per game last season. Smaller lineups may create speed and switchability, but they cannot sacrifice rim protection and rebounding every night. The Pelicans were already outrebounded while allowing 12.7 offensive boards per game.

Mosely can't solve this by distributing minutes according to salary or reputation. He must find combinations that complement one another.

Murphy's shooting makes him essential. Jones provides necessary defense. Fears and Murray must protect the basketball and organize the offense. Queen, Missi, and Matković must prove they can anchor workable frontcourts.

And Williamson has to be the center of it all.

Ultimately, shooting, defense, and ball security will determine who plays and who sits. The Pelicans have enough talent to create competition. Whether they have enough complementary talent to form a coherent rotation is the much bigger question.