I have nothing against Pelicans. But, it does seem like an odd name for a professional NBA team. The team gives decent reasons on their website:

-Pelican is the state bird

-The Pelicans’ colors will be blue, gold and red. The team’s primary color, blue, is taken from Louisiana’s state flag. The Pelicans and Saints will share the color gold, uniting the organizations, while celebrating the spirited life of New Orleans and its many celebrations (gold is also a commonly found color on the “crown” of the pelican). Red represents fraternity and is indicative of the blood provision of the mother pelican and the vibrant color underneath the pelican’s throat. All three colors are found on the City of New Orleans flag.