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By Anne Erickson
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With the start of the NBA season just a few short months away, it's time to pick an x-factor for each team.
The New Orleans Pelicans are hoping Jordan Poole can find his footing. They're depending on it.
After a disappointing 26-win season, New Orleans didn't make a massive change to the roster. Instead, the team is betting on its current group being better, healthier and more connected after a year that never really came together.
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That puts Poole in a pretty important spot. The guard arrived with plenty to prove after a tough first season in New Orleans. He averaged 13.4 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 37.2% from the field, a significant drop from the offensive role he had during his time in Washington.
The Pelicans never, ever gave up on him. They know what Poole is capable of.
In Washington, he showed he could be a big scorer, putting up 20.5 points per game and taking on a much bigger offensive responsibility. New Orleans needs him to get back to being that confident player who isn't afraid to take over stretches of games.
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In the lineup, Zion Williamson remains the centerpiece, and Dejounte Murray gives the team another talented playmaker. But the Pelicans still need someone who can create a shot when the offense gets stuck.
That's the role Poole has to embrace. He's never been the type of player who disappears into the background. When Poole gets rolling, he can score in bunches, hit difficult shots and completely change the energy of a game. The challenge is doing it consistently.
There will always be questions about his decision-making and shot selection, but New Orleans doesn't need a perfect version of Poole. It needs a confident one.
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If he can become a steady scoring threat alongside Williamson and Murray, the Pelicans suddenly have a much more dangerous offensive group.
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