As we relayed just last week, the Pelicans are among a handful of teams who have been active prospective buyers on the trade market so far this season. Additional details have emerged from Jordan Brenner of the Athletic, who notes that the Pels are primarily interested in obtaining a long, defensive-oriented swingman/small forward before the trade deadline.
Some of the names that Brenner hears as potential targets in New Orleans from conversations with team executives, scouts and an assistant coach are the Pistons’ Stanley Johnson, Bulls’ swingman Justin Holiday, Hawks’ swingman Kent Bazemore, Nets’ veteran DeMarre Carroll, and even J.R. Smith – players who can knock down open threes and use their length on defense. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders also adds Lakers’ trade candidate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to that list.
And while none of these players may push the Pelicans to the next echelon of NBA teams, a trade for one of them would at least represent progress as the front office stares into the possibility of losing Anthony Davis to free agency or a trade demand if they do nothing.
Right now, the Pelicans have E’Twaun Moore and Solomon Hill playing the 3, but while Moore is vastly undervalued and on a team-friendly contract, he’s only 6’4” and not a viable small forward defensively. As Brenner notes, New Orleans has acknowledged as much by moving Moore to the bench and giving Hill another run in the starting lineup. But Hill has not shown he’s a capable piece moving forward either.
Unfortunately for the Pelicans, they have few assets to offer in any trade. Hill’s contract runs through 2020, Wesley Johnson and Darius Miller are on expiring deals but are only making $6.1MM and $2.2MM, respectively, and young assets like Cheick Diallo and Frank Jackson haven’t shown enough promise to net a real return.
Don’t understand why their top target Stanley Johnson is on a team that will be buyers and not sellers at the deadline
Please take Justin Holiday from the Bulls. I can’t stand his chucking up bad shots every game thinking he’s Love.
Then the Pelicans just have to nab Aaron for the whole set.
Agreed! They can send us E’Twaun Moore back. Bulls never should have let him get away.
Lee and Hardaway from the Knicks would be nice pick ups and come cheap
Very unambitious targets. They already have a bunch of mediocre wings that play unevenly – the listed guys are more of the same.
I’d give up Stanley Johnson for a half eaten bag of chips
They need a SF not a 2G. Smh. They should have been in on Ariza, it cost literally nothing. Solomon Hill n Frank Jackson boom done problems solved.
Except that the Suns would not have wanted Hill’s contract on the books in 19-20.
Except that 12.75 M would be pretty valuable on draft day to swing a trade for a team looking to get out of a particular PG’s contract. Anderson + Hill + JJack for Wall.
Wall – Booker – Bridges – Warren – Ayton you’ve got something interesting there at least.
Unless you’d rather max out Rozier, Brogdon, Russell, Walker, or dumb money to Rubio.
M.KidGilchrist has done quite well this year for Charlotte at the 4 and off the bench. He has 2/$26 left and Charlotte would jump to trade him for similar expiring talent. His hard D is what NOP wants.
N.Mirotic is a salary match. He’s better, so to talent-match, add Willy Hernangomez or Dwayne Bacon, not a pick because the Pels lack depth. Willy can get Mirotic-type points and Bacon is a 2nd year wing. All are having good years. All 3 Hornets have 2 yrs left.
Charlotte would presumably get a bit better, while clearing room to sign Walker for next season. Bacon should be kept if Lamb must also be sacrificed along with baby goat (which are called kids, like Kidd, lol). The Hornets are not going to be able to keep Walker at $12mil anymore!