NBA Trade Rumors: Should the Pelicans make a big splash at the deadline?
NBA Trade Rumors: Should the New Orleans Pelicans attempt to make a big splash at the NBA Trade Deadline?
Sitting as a top-three seed in the Western Conference standings past the midway point of the regular season, the New Orleans Pelicans are no longer just a pleasant surprise. They’re beginning to round into a force and should be considered a potential dark horse threat in the West.
Even though the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the pack as the top two teams in the conference, finishing as the third seed is very much a possibility at the moment.
And in an attempt to solidify themselves as a top-three seed, the question is going to come across the front office’s desk – should the Pelicans attempt to make a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline?
If you believe in the Pelicans, this could be the perfect time to make a move. The West seems wide open at the moment and this is a Pelicans team that is just scratching the surface of how good they can be. If you throw another star into the fold, this is a team that could make a deep run and perhaps even win the West altogether.
The New Orleans Pelicans have more than enough assets to make a big move at the trade deadline
Add in the fact that the Pelicans have all the ingredients that it would take to make a bold move at the deadline and it’s starting to appear as if the perfect storm may be developing for the Pelicans. New Orleans has five first-round picks in 2023 and 2024 alone and 11 future first-round picks at their disposal through the 2027 NBA Draft.
They also have a wealth of young talent on their roster that extends well beyond their big three of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and C.J. McCollum. Trey Murphy III, Naji Marshall, Herbert Jones, and Jose Alvarado have all shown promise for the Pelicans this season. Jaxson Hayes, Dyson Daniels, and Kira Lewis Jr. are also players that likely hold certain trade value on the open market too.
If New Orleans wanted to make a move and the right piece was readily available, this is something that could probably come to fruition quite quickly.
I suppose it could come down to two questions for the Pelicans ahead of the trade deadline. First, does this front office truly believe in the Pelicans’ start to the season and whether or not they believe they are one big move away from contending the West? And second, is the right player going to be available at the trade deadline?
Next. NBA Trade Rumors: Predicting who the Raptors are most likely to move at the deadline. dark
The next few weeks should shape how the Pelicans will ultimately approach the deadline. And if they can keep this winning pace up, there’s no reason why they can’t be supremely aggressive heading into the trade deadline.