The New Orleans Pelicans are still sorting out the fallout from adding Bennedict Mathurin, and Jordan Hawkins has emerged as the contract they’re trying to move.
A few days ago, it was revealed that the Pelicans would be signing Mathurin to a two-year deal worth $16 million. That move gives New Orleans the addition it had been waiting months to make, but it also creates a new problem: the team has to clear enough space in both the cap and the roster.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, Hawkins is the player most firmly in the crosshairs. Smith laid out the two paths New Orleans has for opening up the money tied to Hawkins, saying the team has been actively exploring trade possibilities and could also waive-and-stretch him if necessary.
That situation says plenty about where things have gone for the Pelicans over the last couple of years. The decision to pick up Hawkins’ fourth-year team option already looks like a misstep, and now the team may be stuck treating that money as dead weight.
There’s some logic behind why New Orleans held onto him this long. Hawkins was the No. 14 pick just three years ago, and Joe Dumars and company would naturally prefer to keep first-round talent on rookie deals while it develops.
But the production never quite matched the price tag. As a sophomore, he averaged 10 points a night, and an overall bad team was worse with him on the floor.
Then came his junior season, and Hawkins slipped out of the rotation. He finished at 5.1 points per game while shooting 36.6/34.8/85.2.
Even so, a team around the league could still look at him as a reclamation project. Hawkins was once viewed as a lottery-level talent, and there have been stretches where he flashed star potential. The problem has always been the same: the shot is pure, but not consistent enough.
In a perfect setup, Hawkins would fit neatly alongside a defense-first group. That kind of team could live with the streakiness because of how clean his stroke is. But the inconsistency has kept that from becoming reality.
If New Orleans can’t find a trade, the waive-and-stretch route would be the fallback. It would be the ugliest option from a long-term financial standpoint, but it would solve the immediate roster and money crunch. At this point, that appears to be the most likely outcome, especially with the Pelicans having had plenty of time to hunt for a trade partner.
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Mathurins Arrival Puts One Pelicans Wing In A Tough Spot
Bennedict Mathurins arrival gives the Pelicans another young wing with real upside, but it also forces a roster conversation that was easy to avoid before the signing. New Orleans did not bring him in on a flier, either, with a two-year, $16 million deal that signals real intention. The challenge now is fitting him into a wing rotation that already has players who need minutes, touches and a clear path.
Saddiq Bey is the name that stands out as the cleanest trade candidate, even after a career year and a team-friendly contract. New Orleans could look elsewhere, from waiving Jordan Poole to exploring a Jordan Hawkins deal, but moving Bey makes the most sense if the goal is both making room for Mathurin and adding draft capital. The question is whether the Pelicans will act on that logic quickly, or let the logjam linger a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Frontcourt Suddenly Carries Real Hope Into A Crucial Season
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The larger picture around New Orleans looks more encouraging, too, with Zion Williamson focused on offseason fitness, Trey Murphy III adding muscle ahead of what he hopes becomes an All-Star season, and Herb Jones back to full health. Under new head coach Jamahl Mosley, the Pelicans can see a frontcourt that is young, deep and potentially better equipped to drive a turnaround, even if the familiar caveat still hangs over everything - health and consistency will decide how real that optimism becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Are Still Betting On One Risky Offseason Strategy
The Pelicans offseason has been more about continuity than overhaul, with the front office keeping most of the roster intact and placing a significant bet on a new coaching staff to unlock better results. There is reason for some optimism in the additions of Bennedict Mathurin and Trendon Watford, both of whom bring offensive potential, but the larger picture still points to a group that looks a lot like last seasons team.
New Orleans still has the same questions hanging over it, especially from beyond the arc, around the rim and in the harder-to-quantify areas of toughness and physicality. For this approach to pay off, the Pelicans will need more than just incremental growth from individual players, because the roster moves on their own do not fully solve the problems that have kept this team from taking the next step. [Read more 🡒]