The New Orleans Pelicans may not have to look far for the kind of defensive upgrade they need. With Jamahl Mosley now leading the franchise, one obvious fit sits in Orlando: guard Jalen Suggs.
Mosley already knows exactly what Suggs can become when the system is right. The two crossed paths when Suggs entered the league as the fifth overall pick in 2021, the same year Mosley took over as head coach of the Magic. Suggs has not become a superstar in Orlando, but under this staff he has grown into one of the better defensive guards in basketball.
That matters for a Pelicans team trying to clean up its defense this offseason. Suggs is the kind of player who does not come around often, though there is at least some chatter around the league that Orlando could eventually consider moving him.
The reason is straightforward: the Magic also have to think about extending Anthony Black, and they may eventually choose between the two rather than pay both. Black is viewed as having a little more upside.
The contract is part of what makes Suggs such a real trade target. He is entering the second year of a five-year, $150.5 million deal that counts for 19% of the cap at $32.4 million.
Because the deal was front-loaded, that number drops by 2% each year. Orlando paid him $35 million last season, and the figure falls to $26.7 million by the end of the contract.
At 25, Suggs brings more than defense. He is a sharp player, an excellent athlete, and he provided a positive offensive impact last season as well.
Scoring is not his best trait, but his versatility would make him an appealing long-term partner next to Jeremiah Fears. He has the kind of reaction skills that let him handle both playing off the ball and helping run an offense.
The shooting, though, is the biggest question mark. Suggs owns career shooting splits of 42.3/33.1/79.2. New Orleans would be hoping to get closer to the version of him that posted 47.1/39.7/75.6 while firing 5.1 threes per game, the season he also earned All-Defense second-team honors.
For the Pelicans, the appeal is less about finding a polished scorer and more about getting a player who fully commits on defense. Suggs already knows what Mosley and his staff want, and he has already shown he can thrive in that environment by using his athleticism the right way.
The price is not small, but it is not out of line with other major salaries around the league. Suggs is making about the same as Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray.
Poole, who makes $34.4 million, could make sense as a trade piece with salary filler, and moving that money along with protected draft capital could be enough to get a deal moving if Orlando decides to listen. At the very least, it gives both sides something worth discussing.
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