Well, this obviously is not working. The New Orleans Pelicans’ franchise superstar wants out, they are among the worst teams in the league, and attendance is sliding. How do they fix this? What does the blueprint back into relevancy look like? Let’s see if we can figure this thing out.
With the New Orleans Pelicans’ season just about over, the rebuild process will be officially be starting up very shortly. With this in mind, we put together four directions the Pelicans could go in to get the team back into the playoff picture next season.
Step One: Trade Anthony Davis (Duh)
This one is rather evident. I mean, he did request a trade earlier this season, so it’s only a matter of time till he’s shipped off somewhere. The Los Angeles Lakers emerged as the early favorite to land the disgruntled megastar, but the two organizations could not find common ground. The Pelicans decided against taking a gamble on the Lakers’ young core even with additional draft capital implemented into the final offer.
So, where does that leave the Pelicans and Anthony Davis? This is what we do know: Anthony Davis is capable of posting numbers comparable to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He’s the prototypical power forward in today’s NBA who can boost the right team to contender status instantly. When the request went public, there was a shortlist of teams that were going to make a dramatic push to acquire him. But you have to think when news like this breaks, all twenty-nine other organizations in the league prepare—or at least ponder—a trade package for a generational talent like this.
This offseason is going to be insane. Danny Ainge could throw a package together that involves a core filled with potential. It’s been hinted that nothing is off the table in Boston’s pursuit of Davis.
Danny Ainge has encouraged the Pelicans to wait until the offseason to negotiate with the Celtics. Boston remains determined to try and partner Anthony Davis with Kyrie Irving for long-term, but plans to pursue AD regardless of Irving's free agency plans, per sources. https://t.co/Ft8rfe9EBZ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2019
Which means… Jayson Tatum? He’s available? It’s been no secret this season that the Celtics have underwhelmed compared to expectations. A major component in their performance—or lack thereof—has been the alarming regression of Tatum. However, this could all be situational. Maybe the current fit for the young star does not best suit his needs. Maybe he needs a team with lower expectations where he can grow organically.
Let’s be honest, that summarizes the New Orleans Pelicans. And if Danny Ainge is as serious as he was a few months back, this trade could benefit both parties. Throw in Jaylen Brown who still has the chance of being a legitimate two-way star, and this starts looking interesting. The Boston Celtics’ draft assets have deteriorated, but depending on how the draft lottery unfolds, they could land an unprotected Memphis pick in 2021. Or they could pick outside the top 8 in this year’s draft. It’s all reliant on luck.
But for argument’s sake, let’s say that pick remains unprotected in 2021. A trade package for Anthony Davis could look something like this:
Far-fetched? Maybe. But if the Pels can get out of the remaining season of Hill’s contract, that’s a positive. It also gives the Celtics another inconsistent three point shooter! They love those! There are other appealing options for an AD suitor, especially if a small market team enters the fray. The Knicks could swing a big deal, but they couldn’t be foolish enough to risk trading a pick for Zion Williamson, could they? I mean, it is the Knicks, but still.