The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the franchises that have been hampered by several injuries to their key guys. Brandon Ingram has played in only 15 games this year, and Zion Williamson is going to miss several weeks because of a hamstring injury, but the Pelicans are still third in the Western Conference. This roster is one of the deepest in the association but also one of the most inexperienced ones.

From their core guys, it is only CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas who have experienced a ton of playoff games, and any NBA player would know that playoff basketball is far different from the success they are currently experiencing. Thus, they must recuperate from their injuries and prepare for the grind of the postseason. Perhaps a trade before the NBA deadline could propel the Pelicans to greater heights this season.

Pelicans' biggest need: Veteran, experienced guys

The roster of the Pelicans does not have many holes that teams can exploit. Some weaknesses that were evident last season or early this season were their frontcourt depth, especially with the lack of interior defense. New Orleans can still improve on allowing fewer points in the paint, but overall their defensive rating is fifth in the association.

The point guard issues have been eradicated because of the exceptional play of CJ McCollum. Thus, it seems that New Orleans must preserve their draft picks for an off-season move rather than incorporating a key cog in the middle of the season. The salaries of both Devonte' Graham and Jaxson Hayes could equate to someone paid close to $20 million which would benefit their squad immensely. That gives the Pelicans the ideal trade offer, salary-wise, to acquire a proven veteran at the NBA trade deadline.

Some wing help would be welcomed, such as a Bojan Bogdanovic, Eric Gordon, or Malik Beasley addition. It is never enough to have a ton of shooting in any team, so New Orleans must prioritize wings who have vast experience in playoff basketball. From these three options, Beasley is the lone one who still lacks the reps on the biggest stage, but both Gordon and Bogdanovic will be reliable in any series.

The health of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson is not reliable, so it is paramount for the Pelicans front to have insurance at those positions because Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, and Naji Marshall are still at the early junctures of their career. Even if Ingram and Williamson are healthy and ready to go, the three youngsters will learn from the experienced guys they may add by February 9th.

The addition of veterans for the stretch run is not for the play on the court as well but also for the locker room presence that is full of youthful individuals. There will be a series in the playoffs they could be down 2-1 or 3-2, and their morale is at an all-time low, but a veteran will have a sermon in the dugout before the game that will motivate the whole team to propel themselves to an integral victory in the playoffs.

Along with the perimeter shooting and off-court presence, they may want another player who can initiate the offense because that was a glaring problem during their series against the Phoenix Suns last season. McCollum is a terrific option, but Jose Alvarado is more of a disruptor and pesky defender, and Dyson Daniels is still a raw talent who may not receive consistent minutes in the postseason.

The struggles of West powerhouses like the Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers have opened up a large opportunity for New Orleans to make some noise, but this could be a year too early for them to become a dark horse to reach the NBA Finals.