The New Orleans Pelicans came out of the 2024 NBA Draft with Yves Missi and Antonio Reeves but still need a starting center on the roster. Unrestricted free agent Jonas Valanciunas is leaving some big shoes to fill. As the front office strategizes for the upcoming season, they face the challenge of finding a center who can fit next to Zion Williamson on offense and still function in Willie Green's defensive schemes.
Unfortunately, Missi will not be ready to contribute both for a few years. The Pelicans are betting the Baylor one-and-done big man pans out by his third season. That would be a success. However, Valanciunas is going to be hard to replace in free agency and New Orleans needs help immediately. Isaiah Hartenstein is going to command $20 million a year on the open market and the organization has found enticing big names difficult.
New Orleans has also not committed that much money to a free agent since Solomon Hill. That leaves EVP David Griffin and GM Bryson Graham to scour the trade market for any sort of upgrade over veteran minimum talents like Cody Zeller or the unproven, inexperienced Karlo Matkovic. The Pelicans should leave no stone unturned when ranking trade scenarios for roster upgrades. Being able to take a ‘no' is a requirement in this business; having the audacity to pull off a heist is how executives excel.
1. Prying more from Portland
The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan effectively clogging up their front court rotations. New Orleans can come to the rescue and give Deandre Ayton a great redemption story opportunity. Jerami Grant will be the centerpiece of a counter offer but the Pelicans need to hold firm for the seven-foot-tall 26-year-old All-Star over the 6-foot-7 30-year-old journeyman.
Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe are the Trail Blazers core going forward. The Pelicans could pry Ayton and Anfernee Simons out of the Pacific Northwest for Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. New Orleans would likely want to include more salary.
Finding a third team with picks that can be swapped or protected might be necessary to facilitate the deal. Jordan Hawkins, Jose Alvarado, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl can act as sweeteners or make-weight salaries. Either way, addressing both areas of need in one trade would be a masterstroke. Well, depending on the draft assets changing hands.
2. Getting mixed up with Minnesota
The Minnesota Timberwolves took their shot at a championship but fell short in the Western Conference finals. Now the organization is in the news more for ownership squabbles instead of roster reshaping issues. The Pelicans should use this as an opportunity to pounce on the best big man to come out of Minnesota since Kevin Garnett.
Karl-Anthony Towns for Brandon Ingram with Larry Nance Jr. going to a third team helps everyone. Towns gets to pair up with Zion Williamson which is a far better running partner fit than Rudy Gobert. Anthony Edwards gets a running partner on the wing in Ingram. The Timberwolves get a huge bit of luxury tax relief while the Pelicans only add $2 million to their cap.
3. Calling the Cavaliers about Allen
The Pelicans could explore a blockbuster trade involving Brandon Ingram to acquire Jarrett Allen. Allen, an All-Star center, brings a combination of shot-blocking, rebounding, and efficient scoring. He also has a bit of an axe to grind with the Cleveland Cavaliers following some NBA Playoffs absentees. Allen’s absence during the playoffs caused frustration within the organization. His refusal of a pain-numbing injection led to speculation about his commitment. If the Cavaliers prioritize Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell under new head coach Kenny Atkinson then Allen would become an in-demand target.
4. Knicks need to shed salary
Larry Nance Jr for Mitchell Robinson and a second-round pick or a swap option is a simple, straightforward way to address both team's issues. Nance Jr. ($11.2 MM) is an expiring salary that New York can flip if he does not work out in the front court. Robinson is somewhat of a local talent with two years remaining on a $14.3 million deal. The Pelicans would have a starting center and a decent-sized expiring contract next summer.
5. Making Magic's dial tone disappear
At 6-foot-10, 270 pounds, the 25-year-old Wendell Carter Jr. is a versatile big man who can contribute on both ends of the court. His defensive skills, shot-blocking ability, and rebounding make him an attractive asset despite missing time with injuries last season. A knock on the hand that required surgery is very unpredictable and it's not like Carter Jr. has a history of missing time with minor ailments.
The Pelicans could benefit from his presence in the paint, especially alongside Zion Williamson. Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game last season. He does not need an offense built around him but a defense with Carter Jr. and Herb Jones as the pillars would be formidable.
6. Buying talent from the Bucks
Brook Lopez might be 36 years old but can still move the needle for a team looking to leap out of the migraine-inducing Play-In Tournament. The Pelicans can keep their All-Star asset powder dry in this deal. Use Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Hawkins, E.J. Liddell, and the rights to Karlo Matkovic. Throw a kitchen sink worth of dimes and nickels at Milwaukee. Just leave the negotiations with the solid dollar that is Lopez.
7. Ready to re-light fuse with Rockets
The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported before the 2024 NBA Draft that the Houston Rockets rejected advances from the Pelicans. The idea of getting Brandon Ingram for young center Alperen Sengun was too out-of-this-world for Houston. New Orleans cannot give up a ransom but they do need to relight the fuse to spark up some conversations. That report tanked Ingram's ‘mild' trade market. Use some new dialogue to at least boost Ingram's value back up to where it was last summer. Maybe Houston will hear a different tune the next time someone asks for Sengun.
8. Juke the Jazz out of a rookie-scale deal
The Utah Jazz are reported ready to give up trying to tame Walker Kessler, who averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks last season. If Utah was too quiet for Kessler the Pelicans have to be ready to engage in some conversations. Not many young, stout big men who could patrol the paint are ever available. The Houston Rockets were not interested in giving up Alperen Sengun for Brandon Ingram. Getting Kessler while keeping Ingram in-house would be good business.
9. Last call on Clint Capela
Clint Capela has been a consistent but not close to All-Star level center the past few seasons. However, according to Matt Moore, the 30-year-old on an expiring contract might not be very appealing to New Orleans going forward.
“Everyone wants centers,” wrote Moore, “but Capela is 30 and a very traditional big who hasn't had a strong season in a while.”
The Pelicans have to recognize Capela's downward trend plainly charted on the stat sheets. Capela averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game last season. He will find a lack of the same opportunities in New Orleans that were available in Atlanta, especially if Trae Young is included in the deal.
10. Nets haven't lost faith in Nic Claxton
The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly going to sign Nic Claxton to a four-year, $100 million deal. One last pass at a sign-and-trade framework before free agency begins is merely due diligence but it must be done.
The center position is crucial to Williamson and the team's success. The stakes are getting higher for the Pelicans as the roster gets more expensive. The Western Conference is only getting tougher as well. Griffin and Graham face a delicate balancing act between immediate impact and long-term team building. Will the revamped front office find a deal or be stuck digging through the leftovers? It's a ‘wait and see' game for fans urging Griffin to go ‘all the way in' sooner rather than later.
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