NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player every team desperately needs to trade at the deadline

New Orleans Pelicans

Jose Alvarado

At the midway point of the season, the New Orleans Pelicans have a good chance of making the postseason as a top 6 seed. At the very least, the Pelicans are at least going to have a shot to play their way into the postseason via the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. Making an addition at the NBA Trade Deadline could go a long way in solidifying the Pelicans as a legit playoff threat in the West.

Looking at their roster, though, you can actually make the case that this team needs to make a move in the opposite direction. Instead of adding a player, perhaps the Pelicans could go a long way in thinning out some of their depth at the deadline. One player that the Pelicans should strongly explore trading at the deadline to accomplish that is Jose Alvarado.

Alvarado is essentially the third-string point guard at this point in the season and even though he's on a cheap contract, he has a team option for next season. In other words, it's far from a guarantee that he'll be back next season.