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NBA: 13 Western Conference Trades That Need To Happen Before The Deadline

By Mason McFee

Jan 21, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 123-98. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 123-98. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

The Big Easy Gets Tough(er)

Note: I’m lumping the Pelicans’ and Grizzlies’ trade together since they are going to be ‘dealing’ with each other. 

A report came out today (February 13th) that the Pelicans are discussing a deal for Brook Lopez in exchange for Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, Tim Frazier, and a 2018 protected 1st-round pick.

In other words: the Pelicans are all in for giving AD the best roster possible while he still wants to play for them….. but are they?

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Tim Frazier is an underrated backup, and has had his fair share of strong offensive outputs. The story is the same with Galloway after his strong play in NY. (Man do they miss him).

Evans is a complete different story. After being taken 4th overall by the Sacramento Kings back in the 2009 NBA Draft, he failed to live up to his expectations mainly because Sacramento misused his skill sets not by how he played, but not retaining him.

The Kings shipped him out for Greivis Vasquez (FEAR THE TURTLE!), who is currently a free agent. That’s it. (Portland got Robin Lopez, and the Pelicans got Evans).

Evans holds career averages of 16.3 PPG, 4.8 TRPG, 5.2 APG, but is having quite the down year (mainly due to the fact he’s only played in 24 games) 9.5 PPG, 3.2 TRPG, 3.5 APG; not great numbers for a former starter.

New Orleans has used him as a PG, SG, and SF with mixed results. I think the PG experiment should have gone longer, but then Jrue Holiday remembered he’s a darn good basketball player and it wasn’t necessary for him to play there anymore.

Then Buddy Hield was drafted, and the Pelicans signed Solomon Hill, moving Evans to the bench. While he has done okay there, I think his offensive game is still locked in that injury-prone frame of his.

While it’s nice that Nawlins’ is trying to contend now, I think they need to give up on the Tyreke Evans experiment that desperately needs scoring in the worst way:

Let’s say that (for argument’s sake) the above proposed deal involving Lopez goes through. Suddenly, New Orleans would be left with Jrue Holiday at the point. If you want to make the argument for E’Twaun Moore as a backup point, go for it; but I’d rather have him as a two.

For a team that’s trying to make a postseason push, that doesn’t sound ideal. I’d rather find a team that needs offense and actually has a shot at the postseason.

Memphis would have to part with their best individual defender in Allen, but they’d be getting a CONSISTENT backup center in Ajinca, and would rid themselves of the oft-injured Brandan Wright while providing the Pelicans with PG depth if they somehow convinced Brooklyn to deal Lopez and keep Tyreke (Solomon Hill?)

Memphis just broke into the top 20 in team Offensive Rating…. 53 games into their season. They are currently 27th out of 30 teams in team PPG. 27th… and they’re 6th in the Western Conference with a 33-23 record….. mainly because they’re 3rd in opponent PPG allowed (99.6), but still. They need offensive help. Tyreke provides it. End scene.

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