Mitchell Robinson looked like the kind of offseason swing the New Orleans Pelicans could really use, but that door has already slammed shut.
Robinson has agreed to sign with the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN’s Sham Charania. The deal is for three years and $47.4 million, with a player option in the third season. That lines up with the kind of contract he was expected to command.
For New Orleans, the fit was obvious. Robinson is a 7-footer from Chalmette, and he would have given the Pelicans a much-needed jolt of size and physicality in the front court.
The team still needs a tougher, more aggressive defender alongside Derik Queen. Yves Missi is trending in the right direction, but the Pelicans could still use another body in that mix.
Getting Robinson would have required some financial maneuvering, likely moving off either Jordan Poole or Jordan Hawkins’ contract. But that was already part of the broader plan anyway.
With Robinson off the board, the Pelicans still have a few center options worth circling.
Andre Drummond remains a logical name. He’s been mentioned before as a target, and he still fits the bill as the market tightens up around him.
He won’t give New Orleans the most versatility, but he can rebound and protect the rim, which is no small thing. He also quietly added a three-point shot last season, hitting 35.6% of his attempts from deep on 1.4 tries per game.
Moussa Cisse is another option. He went undrafted last season after five years at Memphis, where his offense never really came around despite his high school pedigree as a five-star recruit.
What he does bring is defense, and he could be the sort of young big this staff tries to shape. Cisse spent last season on a two-way deal with the Mavericks and is now a restricted free agent.
Dallas changed coaching staffs and leadership, which could open the door for New Orleans to make a move.
Last season, Cisse averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Mavericks were a plus-5.0 with him on the floor, largely because of his work on the offensive glass.
In Other News...
Pelicans May Be Eyeing The Exact Wing This Roster Still Lacks
After adding DeAndre Jordan, the Pelicans are in the familiar summer spot where the margins matter as much as the marquee names. There are only so many roster spots left, and not much cap room to work with, so any move for a wing has to fit both the basketball need and the financial reality. That is why a defensive-minded option like former Portland forward Matisse Thybulle has started to make sense in the background, especially for a team still looking for more length and activity on the perimeter.
Thybulle brings the kind of wing defense New Orleans could use, and his shooting has improved enough to keep him in the conversation as a short-term addition. The question is whether the Pelicans can actually create the space to make a run at him, and how much they are willing to invest in a player whose recent injury history has left plenty of teams cautious. For now, it looks like one of those situations where the fit is obvious, but the path to a deal is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Trey Murphy III Just Became The Pelicans Most Dangerous Trade Decision
Jaylen Brown landing with the 76ers has only sharpened the spotlight on Trey Murphy III, and not just because he is the kind of wing every contender wants. The move has amplified his value around the Eastern Conference, where the market for versatile scoring and two-way length is always thin, and it has put the Pelicans in the middle of a trade conversation they did not create but now have to monitor closely.
Boston is suddenly better positioned to enter the chase after adding fresh draft capital in the Brown deal, and the Celtics now look like one of several East teams that could try to make a serious push. Philadelphia, Toronto, New York and Detroit are also part of the conversation, which only underscores how complicated Murphys market could become for New Orleans if the bidding starts to build. [Read more 🡒]