The New Orleans Pelicans have been working the phones hard this offseason. We're barely a week removed from the conclusion of the NBA Finals, and they've already landed their second deal even before the start of the NBA Draft. The Pels came to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal involving the most traded asset in NBA Draft history: cash considerations.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported on the very first trade of the 2021 NBA Draft day.
Pelicans have traded No. 53 in NBA Draft to Philadelphia for cash considerations.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 29, 2021
Shams further specified the terms of the deal, costing the Sixers a pretty penny to take back the Pelicans' late NBA draft pick.
The 76ers sent $2 million in cash to the Pelicans for the No. 53 pick. Begins to set the rate for purchasing a pick in tonight's NBA Draft.
This deal comes off the heels of the Pelicans' initial offseason transaction, trading away ill-fitting veterans Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams for Jonas Valanciunas. The virtual salary dump cost New Orleans a few spots on their first-round selection, going from the 10th pick to outside the lottery at 17th.
Given the fact that the Pelicans are supposed to be accumulating young players and picks to build around Zion Williamson, it's not exactly encouraging to see your GM making two trades to send away NBA draft capital and positioning.
Given the specter of Anthony Davis' departure from the franchise, there's already been buzz about Zion Williamson's future in New Orleans. While the two trades made thus far aren't exactly franchise-altering deals, these little things certainly pile up in a hurry as long as the franchise remains in mediocrity.
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