There are plenty of fires stoked and smokescreens created in the weeks before the NBA Draft. Intriguing details to seemingly enticing offers are trickled out by agents and front offices only for the full details that killed the deal to be revealed years later. Some of those scenarios go actually come to fruition, though, leading to one side looking duped. That's why the New Orleans Pelicans cannot get pulled into any deal for Zach Edey that requires them trading up to nab the former Purdue star.
The intrigue around the NCAA's most dominant big man is understandable. Edey's visit with the Pelicans was lined up early, but there are several other factors at play right now.
New Orleans is shedding talent seemingly by the day as a potentially transformational offseason looms. Fans of the team are starting to air their frustrations more often and more loudly. Wasting assets just to get little return in the coming season would do more to anger not just customers, but possibly Zion Williamson as well. Though the Pelicans want to compete now, the organization does not need to make a desperate move in this draft—especially not for a player who might not log 10 minutes per game in the regular season, much less the playoffs.
Costs of moving up in NBA Draft
New Orleans may not need to make a selection at all, much less seek a move up in the draft. The Pelicans have already deferred a 2025 pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for reasons both talent and finance related. Coach Willie Green does not have the rotational time to give and executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin does not have the extra financial wiggle room to pay a premium for a rookie big man. Trading back to re-stock second-round pick inventory is far more likely, and defendable, than trading up in the draft order.
Rotationally, New Orleans has to replace or retain Naji Marshall and Jonas Valanciunas. Financially, every spot the team moves up in the 2024 NBA Draft will cost well over $100,000. Going from 21st to 14th would add approximately $1 million to the salary cap. And that's just the money. It's assets moving forward that are really in short supply for the Pelicans.
New Orleans does not have a second-round pick until 2030 after trading away Devonte' Graham at the deadline to duck the luxury tax. New Orleans attached four second-rounders to Graham's contract to entice the San Antonio Spurs. They'd have to use future first-rounders to wiggle up just a few spots this June.
Here are the costs to move up in the NBA Draft from 2017 until the Rudy Gobert trade. There is added context for some particular benchmarks to highlight deals through Griffin's first draft in charge of the Pelicans.
- 2017: Utah Jazz get No. 13 (Donovan Mitchell), Nuggets get No. 24 (Tyler Lydon) and Trey Lyles
- Need mid-20s pick plus contract to move into top-15
- 2017: Portland Trail Blazers get No. 10 (Zach Collins), Sacramento Kings get No. 15 (Justin Jackson) and No. 20 (Harry Giles)
- Need two top-20 picks to move into the top-10 at minimum
- 2018: Phoenix Suns get No. 10 (Mikal Bridges), Philadelphia 76ers get No. 16 (Zhaire Smith) and future first-round pick (via Miami)
- Need a top-20 pick plus a future first which also has good odds of landing in late lottery
- 2018: LA Clippers get No. 10 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), Charlotte Hornets get No. 11 (Miles Bridges) and two future second-round picks
- Moving up even one spot requires spending multiple future second-round selections
- 2019: Pelicans get Nos. 8, 17, and 35 picks, Atlanta Hawks get Nos. 4, 57, and future second-rounder
- Pelicans fans debate Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker for De'Andre Hunter
- 2019: Boston Celtics get Nos. 24 and 33, 76ers get No. 20 (Matisse Thybulle)
- The Celtics then traded the No. 24 pick for more assets
Pelicans must be patient through NBA Draft night
The Cleveland Cavaliers sent four second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for the 30th pick in 2019. The Jazz traded the 23rd pick to the New York Knicks for the 27th and 38th picks in 2020. The 30th pick in 2020 (Desmond Bane) was only worth two second-rounders, though, in a deal between the Memphis Grizzlies and Celtics.
In 2021, the Washington Wizards sent the 22nd pick to the Indiana Pacers for the 31st pick and Aaron Holiday. The 30th selection in the 2021 draft was worth three second-rounders in a deal between the Jazz and Grizzlies. The Rudy Gobert trade in July 2022 disrupted the market considerably, but there is a rough pricing guideline in place.
Griffin said the Pelicans would operate with a sense of urgency this summer, but caution cannot be tossed to the wind. More recent drafts are tougher to judge on talent, but the frameworks remain relatively similar. Restraint from making an at-best lateral move is more prudent than an out-of-character gamble. New Orleans could profit most by trading back, not by moving up for a big man like Edey. He is just not the type of talent that makes these deals worthwhile.
The Pelicans have been active on draft day in the past under Griffin, but have no reason to reach for Edey. Sure, Purdue's force-of-nature frontcourt phenom is doing well on the private pre-draft workout circuit. He is still too big of a gamble for a front office that needs to stack assets quicker than they are losing personnel.
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