The New Orleans Pelicans were hoping to take a big step forward in the 2022-23 season, and so far, they have done just that. Just one season after barely sneaking into the playoffs as the eight seed in the Western Conference, the Pelicans have emerged as one of the top teams in the West, currently sitting in third place with a 23-14 record.
Things have been going great for the Pelicans as of late, but they have a pretty significant roadblock in their way now with Zion Williamson being ruled out for at least three weeks with a hamstring strain. This is a pretty big blow for New Orleans, who had been already playing without Brandon Ingram since the end of November, meaning their top trio of players is whittled down to just CJ McCollum.
The Pels find themselves in a good spot to absorb this blow, but they are going to need to make some moves to overcome these losses. An easy way to do that is on the trade market, and with the 2023 trade deadline just over a month away, New Orleans may become a bit more aggressive in hunting out some beneficial trades. So with that in mind, let's take a look at a pair of trades the Pelicans can make to help them remain competitive in the wake of Williamson's injury.
2. The Pelicans swap out Jaxson Hayes for Mo Bamba
Considering how the Pelicans best player in Williamson gets most of his points in the paint, it makes sense to explore options to improve the team's perimeter scoring. The Pelicans are shooting 36.8 percent from behind the arc this season, which is good for tenth in the league, but this trade would allow New Orleans a shot to quietly strengthen their supporting cast around Williamson's play style while he's out.
That leads us to Mo Bamba, who is currently on the outside looking in with the Orlando Magic. The Magic have made it clear Bamba is on the trade market, and have slashed his minutes this season after he started 69 of the 71 games he played in. But it's clear that when he plays, Bamba would be a very good fit in the Pelicans rotation.
Bamba's numbers this season (8.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.1 APG, 50.3 FG%, 37.9 3P%) aren't outrageous, but he's a big man who fits their playstyle a lot better than a guy like Jaxson Hayes. Hayes (4.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 54.9 FG%) is similar to Williamson in that he goes to the paint for pretty much all of his points, and that makes it tough to play them both at the same time.
Hayes hasn't been much of a factor for the Pelicans when he's been playing this season, and they may simply decide it's time to cut their losses and find a replacement for him in the rotation. New Orleans may have to throw in a second-round pick here to get the Magic to bite, but adding Bamba as a floor-spacing big man off the bench would be a really good under-the-radar move for the Pelicans.
1. The Pelicans trade a first-round pick to land Bojan Bogdanovic
The Pelicans are lucky to have a really strong collection of wing players that can play several different roles for them, and while they could conceivably strengthen their backcourt, adding another wing to space the floor for them could be the missing piece for them when it comes to making a run for the top seed in the West.
New Orleans has been linked to Bojan Bogdanovic for a while, and it feels like he would be the perfect trade target for them, partly due to some of the reasons Bamba is such an appealing option for them. Bogdanovic has become the primary offensive option for the Detroit Pistons this season, and he has quickly become one of the most sought after trade targets in the league.
Bogdanovic's numbers this season (20.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 48.3 FG%, 41.2 3P%) are among the best of his career, and his skillset is precisely what the Pelicans need. Bogdanovic is a scorer first who is one of the best sharpshooters in the game, while also being a decent wing defender who can hold his own at a couple of different spots.
Adding Bogdanovic gives the Pelicans flexibility when it comes to their rotations on the court, but also when it comes to building their roster. Everyone wants versatile wing players, but nobody would have as many as New Orleans after this deal.
The Pelicans could send over a 2024 first-round pick that could be swapped with the Milwaukee Bucks to get a deal done here considering just how many future first-round picks they have at their disposal, and give themselves another key piece in what could end up becoming a Finals contending squad.
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