NBA Trade Rumors: The New Orleans Pelicans are considering making a huge move for Scoot Henderson.
The headlining name heading into the 2023 NBA Draft is certainly Victor Wembanyama. But with him locked up to be selected by the San Antonio Spurs No. 1 overall, it’s Brandon Miller vs. Scoot Henderson that has garnered much interest in recent weeks.
A week and a half out from the NBA Draft, it appears that there’s one team that’s hoping to make quite a bit of a jump to land Henderson.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the New Orleans Pelicans are seriously considering making a strong effort to trade up in the 2023 NBA Draft to target Henderson. The question is, how much should the Pelicans be willing to give up for a shot to draft Henderson?
If the Pelicans are seriously interested in making a deal work, you’d have to imagine that they would likely have to trade up to No. 2 or 3. But with the Hornets appearing to be locked in on Brandon Miller, there’s a case to be made that the Pelicans could move up to No. 3 and still get their target.
Let’s just say the Pelicans are looking to make a move to No. 3. If that’s the case, they would need to part ways with something significant to get a deal done. And knowing what we know about the Blazers, they’re probably going to ask for one of the Pelicans’ big 2 – and likely Brandon Ingram.
Would the New Orleans Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram?
The Blazers want a star to place next to Damian Lillard. Ingram would quantify as that. If they wanted the Pelicans could probably move Ingram for the third pick straight up and I’m not sure the Blazers would blink. They’d probably be down for it without even asking for the No. 14 pick. However, that would be a tough sell for Pelicans’ fans.
Trading Ingram would essentially mean putting your faith in Zion Williamson and his ability to remain healthy. That’s a scary idea considering he hasn’t been able to remain healthy through the first few years of his career thus far.
Nevertheless, at least on paper, a duo of Henderson and Zion would be lethal. And that possibility is something that has to excite the Pelicans’ decision-makers.
Here’s another underlining factor: Ingram has been a member of the Pelicans for four seasons and the team hasn’t made much progress with him as the leading man. Perhaps they’re ready to move on from him and view Henderson in such a light that they’d be willing to make such a swap.
At this point, nothing can be completely off the table. Would the Pelicans decline an offer from the Blazers that included the No. 3 overall pick (presumably Scoot Henderson) and Anernee Simons for Ingram? That’d be an interesting bridge to cross if they ever get there.