New Orleans Pelicans: It’s tax season, let’s talk contracts and salaries.

The New Orleans Pelicans have the seventh largest payroll in the NBA at over $119 million. Next season, their payroll drops to $94 million.

The New Orleans Pelicans are spending money and investing in the future of the franchise. One of the fascinating things about the NBA today is the player’s salaries and contracts. This is due to the fact that most people are insanely uncomfortable talking about their salaries and pay.

Looking at a professional athletes earnings is one way we justify their overall worth in the NBA. The higher the pay, the more they are expected to produce. For example, when you see that Kevin Love is making $22 million dollars this season, it’s easy to see why Cavaliers players and fans are growing in frustration with his role in Cleveland.

If you break down 90% of the NBA’s salaries by team, two or three star players make just over or under $20 million a year. The next wave of players considered to be “role players” makes around 7$ million a year. Finally, the “clear the bench” players make around $1.5 million a year.

One contract that is baffling to me is Otto Porter of the Washington Wizards. Porter is the highest paid player on the Wizards this season at just over $24 million. Yet, he’s averaging just 14 points this season with a win share of 5.1. Last season, Porter’s win share was 9.4.

Porter is the 17th highest paid player in the NBA. Anthony Davis is the 20th at just over $23 million this season. The highest paid player in the NBA is Stephen Curry at over $34 million this season.

Breaking down the New Orleans Pelicans salaries.

Looking at the Pelicans salary situation, Jrue Holiday is signed until the 2021-22 season at an average of $26 million a year. Holiday has a player efficiency rating of 16.8 and has a 4.0 win share on the year. The newly acquired Nikola Mirotic is under contract at $12 million a year this season and next. According to reports, Mirotic is planning on moving his family to New Orleans and will be apart of the Pelicans long-term plans.

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We all know the situation with DeMarcus Cousins, he’ll be a free agent after this season. However, he feels at home in New Orleans as he and Davis have a strong friendship. It’s likely that Cousins will resign and remain a Pelican next season.

Davis is under contract until the 2020-21 season. One can expect that Davis will continue to be involved in trade rumors and hypotheticals. The fact of the matter is Davis will always be subject to being a trade piece in the ESPN trade machine. Furthermore, the ESPN trade machine is a complete waste of time. Remember just because the numbers add up doesn’t mean any GM in the league is going to agree to send their star player to your team.

Would New Orleans benefit from having a superstar like Kevin Love? Sure, but you’re dreaming if you think Cleveland would take on these contracts. Especially with LeBron James growing increasingly frustrated with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

What’s in store for the future of the New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans will have nine players on the payroll following this season. Holiday, Davis, Mirotic, Solomon Hill, E’Twaun Moore, Alexis Ajinca, Darius Miller, Cheick Diallo, and Frank Jackson. This means the Pelicans will have plenty of money to play with following this season. Now, the Pelicans can still make the playoffs this season. They also can become contenders if they can lure in a couple versatile role players during the offseason.

Next: Is Anthony Davis Batman or Robin?

This season the Pelicans are in the race to make playoffs, possibly the second round depending on who their first-round opponent is. The overall feeling surrounding the Pelicans future has to be somewhat positive. So long, as they keep trying to build around Cousins and Davis.