The New Orleans Pelicans are going to have a new look rotation coming into 2025 and will be hoping that it helps them win more than 21 games this season.

While they still aren't a very highly-regarded team around the league, they have some interesting talent entering the prime years of their careers around the same time. They could be a surprising squad.

The Athletic's Law Murray doesn't have very high hopes for the team, as he has their starting lineup ranking relatively low compared to the rest of the league. Murray recently projected each team's depth chart and ranked each position group.

Here is where the Pelicans stand heading into the season, without Dejounte Murray, and how each position compares to the rest of the NBA:

Point Guard - 26th Overall

Starter: Jordan Poole

Reserve: Jeremiah Fears

This is the position group that I believe will most outplay their low ranking. Two players that have clear pathways to overplaying expectations could prove not to be a bottom-five unit at their position.

Poole had the best year of his career last season in his first campaign as a true point guard. Now, he has a much better group of surrounding weapons to work with.

Fears might not play much as a rookie, especially when Murray returns, but he has shown an early knack to be aggressive on both sides of the court. The effort is no question with him, which should buy him some opportunities.

Shooting Guard - 13th Overall

Starter: Herbert Jones

Reserve: Jordan Hawkins

Jones played just 20 games last year and New Orleans got a peak at what playing defense without him feels like, and it's not great. He might not have the most offensive impact compared to other shooting guards around the NBA, but his defensive impact is unmatched.

This feels like a make or break year for Hawkins, who didn't take much of a step forward in year two. He's been in the gym a ton this preseason and hopefully it will lead to a breakout. The Pelicans would be fine with his shooting six or more threes a game, but he needs to hit them at higher than a 33.1% rate.

Small Forward - 8th Overall

Starter: Trey Murphy III

Reserve: Saddiq Bey

Murphy has garnered a ton of respect around the league and he is worthy of it. It also feels like he could be on the verge of becoming a superstar this season. He looked fantastic in his first preseason game and has looked great in the gym so far.

Bey missed all of last season, but is looking to bounce back and be an effective three-and-D bench wing.

Power Forward - 10th Overall

Starter: Zion Williamson

Reserve: Derik Queen

Power forward happens to be one of the deepest position groups in the league, but Williamson feels right where he is right now. A healthy campaign could see him jump ahead of players like Paolo Banchero, Jimmy Butler and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Queen, like Fears, has a tougher path to playing time as a rookie, but should get some looks when he's healthy. In the next couple of years, though, he has the tools to develop into a fantastic modern playmaking big.

Center - 27th Overall

Starter: Kevon Looney

Reserve: Yves Missi

This is an understandable ranking, but this could still end up being solid for this particular team build.

Looney should start and has an existing two-man game with Poole. He brings tons of experience and effort to the position with the starting unit.

Missi started almost every game he played last season and should be improved going into year two, but moving to the bench should be good for him for now. He can learn from Mooney and then grow into the starter in the future. He's still just 21.