NBA Trade Rumors: Eric Bledsoe also on the trade block
The New Orleans Pelicans have gotten off to a slow start to start the year and it has prompted them to take a good look at their roster. With the NBA Trade Deadline less than two months away, it’s imperative for a team like the Pelicans to evaluate expiring deals and figure out if it would be better to try and trade a player or keep them in hopes of potentially re-signing them during the offseason.
Thus far, it appears that the Pelicans are going to be more sellers than buyers heading into the trade deadline.
According to a recent report, the Pelicans are not just taking calls on J.J. Redick and Lonzo Ball, which was reported earlier this week. New Orleans is also shopping/open to trading Eric Bledsoe, who they acquired during the offseason in the blockbuster trade involving Jrue Holiday.
"[via ESPN]Not just those two guys. Eric Bledsoe has also been involved in trade talks. And in a lot of cases, it’s the Pelicans making the calls."
Bledsoe has been solid for the Pelicans this season, averaging 13 points and four assists per game on 44 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range. Bledsoe is under contract for two more years after this season, but it appears that New Orleans doesn’t see him as a big part of the team’s future.
And that’s OK.
Bledsoe is just 31 years old but doesn’t really fall in line with the rest of the young Pelicans’ timeline. Many expected New Orleans to compete for a playoff spot this season, and they still might if they could get hot, but perhaps this team is not as close to playoff contention as many believed heading into this season.
It’d be interesting to see what type of return the Pelicans will get for Ball, Redick, and Bledsoe if they indeed end up trading all three. It’d help this rebuild and potentially escalate their timeline towards contention in the Western Conference.