There’s an expectation that the Pelicans will move at least one of Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams in a trade this offseason, sources tell Will Guillory of The Athletic.
Neither Bledsoe nor Adams has positive trade value, as they’re both coming off underwhelming seasons in New Orleans and are under contract for two more years (though Bledsoe’s 2022/23 salary is only partially guaranteed). The two veterans will earn $18MM and $17MM, respectively, during the ’21/22 season.
That means the Pelicans would have to attach a sweetener to Bledsoe and Adams to move them, and it’s unclear how much they’d be willing to give up, according to Guillory. However, the team would like to move at least one of those salaries in order to gain flexibility to add more depth to the roster, Guillory notes. Clearing some salary would also make it easier for New Orleans to pursue an impact free agent such as Kyle Lowry, who is reportedly on the club’s radar.
[RELATED: 2021 NBA Offseason Preview: New Orleans Pelicans]
As Sam Vecenie of The Athletic observes within the same story, Adams may have more trade value than Bledsoe, since the veteran center’s play didn’t drop off significantly — he just wasn’t a great fit alongside Zion Williamson in the Pelicans’ frontcourt. Bledsoe, on the other hand, saw his PPG (12.2), APG (3.8), and FG% (.421) dip to their lowest marks in years and didn’t make his usual impact on the defensive end.
If the Pelicans want to aggressively clear salary from their books without surrendering too many assets, they could consider trading Adams and waiving-and-stretching Bledsoe, Vecenie suggests. Bledsoe has two years left on his deal but only about $22MM in guaranteed salary, which could be spread across five seasons.
New Orleans does have the draft assets necessary to trade both Bledsoe and Adams if that’s the team’s preferred route. The Pelicans control all their own first-round picks, plus four extra first-rounders and three first-round pick swaps from the Lakers and Bucks.
Wouldn’t be against an Adams for Tristan Thompson swap
Pelicans would be.
Boston would say no way before the pelicans
If this franchise was not already doomed, it’s fate was certainly sealed the moment the name “Pelicans” was approved. Who takes a pelican seriously, I mean, honestly…
Fish
Fish are stupid. They don’t know what’s going on.
@philliesfan top comment
Pelicans are terrifying. They swallow other birds whole.
I have no fear of pelicans. I’ll take them on…ten paces at high noon. A duel! I’ll slap them with my glove as I issue the challenge. The whole nine yards.
I choose for you to duel a prehistoric pelican that stood 6’6″ and has teeth. Check that, the Pelicans should sign it as a 3 and D player. Its got a great wingspan.
link to google.com
I may arrive a bit late for that duel.
I could see ATL & NO making a Gallinari/Dunn for Bledsoe/Nickeil type deal. Pels would get a big boost in the area which is currently their biggest weakness, shooting, by adding Gallo. They get a much cheaper replacement for Bledsoe in Kris Dunn. They’d only do this deal if they intend to bring Hart & Lonzo back. Hart returning from injury along with the emergence of Kira Lewis should help ease the loss of Nickeil AW.. Hawks would have an embarrassment of riches as far as young, talented guards in this scenario. Bledsoe would shore up our biggest weakness, backup pg, & getting him in his contract yr is perfect timing as well. Nickeil would be an upgrade from LouWill at the least. He has huge potential tho. He’s able to play within a system as a role player & contribute but he’s also capable of taking over & being the #1 option when necessary (similar to Kevin Huerter who’d he be in comp for mins with). Hawks might even be willing to give up a future 2nd to make this deal work
Good luck. Lol
I wouldn’t mind seeing Charlotte take Adams on for one of those Laker picks that New Orleans has. They could lottery protect it, to be fair.
Good trade
It’s hard to trade Bledsoe
I like the ball movement on that Cha team too much to place Adams there –
Much rather they trade for a rangy more athletic guy like Turner or draft Kai Jones
Not an Adams hater tho, still think theres {somewhere} for him in this league
If I am a team like the Wizards, I would love to take on Adams and Bledsoe if the #10 pick and a couple of other picks were included.
It works financially.
Wizards get
Eric Bledsoe
Steven Adams
#10 in 2021 draft
LAL 2022 1st round pick
CLE 2022 2nd round pick
Pelicans get
WAS 2024 2nd round pick (top 55 protected)
The Pelicans get all the salary off the books. The Wizards only have to renounce Ian Mahinmi, Robin Lopez, and Ish Smith to get the cap room for Adams & Bledsoe. And they would be upgrades to Smith and Mahinmi. Lopez could easily be replaced with either the #10 or #15 picks.
The Pelicans would get a boatload of cap space and might be able to make a run at Damian Lillard via a Lonzo sign and trade along with a few other assets.
Or the Wizards could ask for Jaxson Hayes instead of the Lakers 1st rounder. Although I suspect they would prefer the pick since they seem to be heading toward a major teardown soon.
The Wizards have 121M on the books without everyone you just mentioned.
They would need to salary match with Bertans, Bryant, Rui, and Deni.
If the Knicks wanted them, it works without sending anything back. If the Thunder want to same deal.
Trade machine says it works. That’s all I know. The people that operate that website know more about the salary cap than I ever intend to find out.
Good idea for a draft-day trade. I expect Griffin would want to wait to see who might fall in his lap at #10.
I like this idea, in fact just pretty much deleted my post in edit mode when reading this as it said pretty much the same but Wizards are money strapped and couldn’t take all that money in freely – Gotta remember they have Westy Beal and Bertans at about 100 mill already. But yea a team w open cap should be calling to help…I like that #10 spot this year
Why would they take all that on, and are you sure that they could? Anyways, they have Gafford & Bryant as C, so why bring in an expensive Adams. I could see them taking Bledsoe and a pick though and renouncing some of the guys you mentioned.
Trade machine says they could. They would to get the picks. It has been reported that the Wizards are intending to become the next Thunder. Whether that is accurate, I am not sure, but if that is their intent, then taking on unwanted salaries in order to get picks is a good start.
Plus, if they are going to rebuild, then a Beal or Westbrook trade would almost definitely open up enough cap space for the deal.
If the Trade Machine approves that’s a legal trade in my book. I like the deal for both sides.
Adams and Bledsoe actually might be good in WAS like you noted, since they’re already playing caveman ball, just with lesser talents.
And NO needs to get off that money ASAP given the recent Zion rumblings.
Wizards are a weird team that actually gets upgraded in a salary dump. Benefits of awful cap management I suppose
They should target that dude in the photo. S&T for DeRozan. Bledsoe, this years 1st.
Sign him to a 3 yr deal for 60-70M?
Adams needs a land where he can find New Zeal.
He turns 28 today!
Adams to Sacramento. My Kings are the only ones dumb enough to eat that contract
Or the Pelicans could trade him back to OKC so they can keep stockpiling 1st round picks.
If they can use the 10th pick to get rid of both Bledsoe and Adams, then it’s something they should consider. I’m guessing that the pick is more valuable before the draft (than the player’s rights will be if the teams only agree afterwards). But so is the cap space. Is there really a team that’s going to sell that much space before the FA period? I think they’d have to like the players at least a little.
Revisiting my earlier post.
10 and Bledsoe for S&T Demar
Adams 40 and 43 for S&T Lowry
Get them both at 20M per.
Lowry
DeRozan
Ingram
Zion
Hayes
Maybe even S&T Lonzo while they are at it or just match him and trade him later.
Pels can’t even speak with Lowry or DeRozan until the new league year, and certainly can’t arrange a S&T without them. Even MIL waited until the night before FA began.
I could see the DD. Adams + 2nd rd picks seems very light for Lowry tho. Adams is basically a negative value, without adding a 1st I think Toronto would be better off just letting Kyle walk.
Knicks should take one of the two
Bledsoe for James Dolan. Who says no?
What an asinine move by the Pelicans to trade for Adams and Bledsoe. Like in what universe is Adams a good fit next to Zion, when you already have Hayes nonetheless, and Bledsoe a good fit with Lonzo/NAW/Kyra Lewis/etc already in the back court. Then they go and hire SVG on top of that. I sincerely doubt the pelicans organization has ANY idea what they are doing, I don’t understand why they don’t catch more flack for their extended ineptitude.
It will look better after the 4 firsts.
Why would anyone want either of them. Two backups that you can find at 1/10 the price. Only way they leave is with a buy out. NO will never be good till they get their Name Back “JAZZ“