New Orleans Pelicans Round Table Discussion: State Of The Union
By Joshua Lea
What did you think of the New Orleans Pelicans trade deadline?
Mark Nilon (@MarkNilon):
Aside from moving Dante Cunningham, New Orleans stayed relatively quiet at the trade deadline, which was exactly what they should have done. The Pelicans are struggling as of late. Everyone with eyes can see that! However, the reason for their slide is due to the team trying to get acclimated to life without DeMarcus Cousins.
When healthy, this team has a chance to make some serious noise come playoff time. By making a trade at the deadline bigger than what they participated in, it could have seriously impacted their plans for future seasons. Bringing in the most talent possible doesn’t always translate into team success. It takes chemistry and cohesion to attain that. By bringing in new players, it very well could have ruined whatever chemistry that had been established with the team while also potentially negatively impacting the future of the franchise. Sometimes, less is in fact more.
Seth Nefksy (@nef_said):
Though I understand the Nikola Mirotic move made the Pelicans a stronger team, giving away their sixth first rounder in a row is more evidence of the Demps regime’s dangerous short-term thinking. Even if the Pelicans do sneak into the playoffs, losing Boogie makes them an easy sweep for the Rockets or Warriors, with or without Mirotic.
Swapping Cunningham was understandable as if Hill comes back soon, his role will be diminished, but getting nothing in return after waiving Vaughn does not make sense for a team trying to make the playoffs. Maybe for a team trying to get some money off, but Marco Belinelli, Joe Harris, and Dewayne Dedmon were all on the market, and perhaps Cunningham could have pulled a more established role player.
Despite getting Mirotic, the Pelicans failed to address their two biggest problems at backup center and backup guard. If I continue to see Ian Clark and Cheick Diallo on the court, I might just Tommy Wiseau my television.
Chris Connor (@Impatientbull):
It’s hard not to imagine what they would have looked like without injury. It’s possible with many of the NBA searching for first-round picks, the New Orleans Pelicans could have gotten a guy like Rodney Hood. I still think given the circumstances they made out pretty well. Niko Mirotic will fit very well going forward and will be a great third big man if DeMarcus Cousins returns. Dumping Dante Cunningham for more spending money on the buyout market was a good move as well.
Joshua Lea (@joshualeaa):
This may sound cold, but, the New Pelicans did what they could. They don’t have first-round picks, and they don’t have any real tradable pieces. I think that landing Nikola Mirotic was close to an act of God. If the Pelicans are smart they’ll be very active during the buyout market period.