Yves Missi

Theis was Willie Green's choice to start at center in Monday's preseason opener, with the veteran pivot playing into the third quarter. Theis shot the ball well for the Pelicans, but there was likely a desire for more production on the glass. The competition between him, Yves Missi (five points, five rebounds, two steals, and one block in 16 minutes), and Karlo Matkovic (two rebounds in eight minutes) is one to track throughout the preseason, as the starter may be worth a late-round flier in some fantasy leagues. If Monday's minutes distribution offered any clues, this appears to be a competition between Theis and Missi for the starting job.