The New Orleans Pelicans may be heading into next season with the same basic roster that just went 26-56, but that doesn’t mean the front office is locked into patience if the start goes sideways again.
There’s still a real belief that last year’s problems were tied to coaching and bad injury luck. The talent level is better than what a 26-win team usually shows. Even so, the Pelicans have to be ready for the possibility that the same issues show up again, and if they do, a deadline reset could be on the table.
If that happens, Trey Murphy III is the most obvious name to watch. His name has come up repeatedly this offseason, and for good reason: he’s the most valuable player on the roster from a trade standpoint, even if New Orleans would rather keep him.
He could still fit into a future core with Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, since he’s 26. But if the Pelicans decide to pivot hard, Murphy could bring back two or three first-round picks, and maybe even more if contenders start hunting for that extra piece near the deadline.
Zion Williamson is another player who would draw attention if the Pelicans go that route. His name has been in trade talk for years because of the injuries that have followed him, but the upside is still impossible to ignore.
When he’s healthy, he’s ultra-efficient and still looks like the kind of talent teams talk themselves into. That said, the leash can only stretch so far, and if New Orleans decides to tear things down, Williamson would not be part of the long-term plan.
Dejounte Murray also belongs on the list. At his end-of-year press conference, Murray said all but he’ll request a trade (possibly for a second time).
He’s older now, and after missing so much time to injury, he doesn’t want to keep spending years on non-playoff teams. He showed well in a limited sample after returning last season, and if he builds on that next year, moving him would not be difficult.
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What makes the fit worth watching is how neatly Gafford could slide into a role the Pelicans have been trying to solve for a while. New Orleans has kept searching for a dependable center to pair with Williamson, and if the market keeps moving the right way, this is the sort of name that could move from speculative fit to actual target before long. [Read more 🡒]
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Missi gave the Pelicans energy, rim protection and a reliable target around the basket off the bench, but asking him to carry that production over into a much bigger role is a different kind of test. New Orleans does not have nearly as many center alternatives as it once did, and with the roster being built around development as much as outside additions, the pressure on Missi to answer that call is impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]