The NBA Trade Market is starting to become a lot more active and the New Orleans Pelicans were quick to move on from one former draft lottery pick. Kira Lewis Jr. is headed to the Toronto Raptors as part of the Pascal Siakam trade in exchange for cash considerations in a move that is beneficial to both sides. For starters, Lewis Jr. gets a change of scenery and the Pelicans ducked under the luxury tax line while opening up a roster spot.

The move makes sense considering the financial implications and the current minute crunch the Pelicans coaching staff is sorting through. Rookie Jordan Hawkins is shooting at a near-historic pace and Jose Alvarado has won heart. Lewis Jr. has been the odd man out on the depth chart, and Green's decisions on who to give development time to just got a bit more clarity.

Shedding Lewis Jr.'s salary and getting below the luxury line also pushes any future repeater tax bills at least one year further down the road. That's important for a Pelicans organization looking at contract extensions for both Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III.  It also means the franchise will receive approximately $18 million in luxury payouts from league offices.

The move cost the Pelicans one future second-round pick and the front office will need to sign a 14th player. However, they've got two weeks to sort out that end-of-the-bench situation. The team can sign a new player to a two-way contract, convert Matt Ryan's deal to a fully guaranteed NBA contract, or even possibly bring over former second-round pick Karlo Matkovic.

Sources tell ClutchPoints discussions concerning Matkovic have taken place but there has been no official, definitive decision on the European prospect. Either way, none of these roster mechanisms affect any possible moves by the front office to upgrade the roster through a consolidation trade. The Pelicans front office can still aggregate the expiring contracts of Jonas Valanciunas, Cody Zeller, and Naji Marshall to go shopping for a $20-22 million talent.

Having an open roster spot also allows the team to act as a facilitator to other moves, which should bring in more cash or draft capital. Either bring more value to the team than Lewis Jr. The Alabama alum was shooting just 10% from three-point range this season and offered very little on the defensive end to make up for it. That production from a slightly undersized guard was never going to get much playing time under Willie Green.

It's a smart play by the Pelicans front office and one ownership is sure to appreciate. There was no reason to barely be over the tax line and give up almost $20 million. Ownership should pay a tax for playoff-caliber contributors worthy of that $20 million, not draft picks that did not pan out.