21. New Orleans Pelicans (22-28)
There’s no question that the New Orleans Pelicans have struggled as of late. The good news is that Anthony Davis is expected to return sooner rather than later. Will that be enough to catapult them back into the top 8 in the West?
It’s no longer a given, and if the Pelicans fail to make the playoffs, there’s a good chance that we could see a blockbuster trade, revolving around Davis, at some point this summer. It’s a reality that needs to start being envisioned by the front office.
New Orleans needs to make a deal at the trade deadline to help salvage Davis in a Pelicans uniform. However, I’m not sure there’s a deal out there to be made that would make enough of a difference.