The New Orleans Pelicans will now own the #4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft thanks to the Anthony Davis/Los Angeles Lakers trade. Who could they trade for using the #4 pick as bait?
If you’re still reeling from the news of the Anthony Davis trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, you aren’t alone. The NBA universe was just rocked, courtesy of Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN as he announced that the New Orleans Pelicans finally found a suitable trade package in exchange for their disgruntled megastar.
New Orleans returned a nice haul of young players, including Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart. But it didn’t stop there. In addition to these players, the Pelicans also acquired a whopping three first round draft picks, including the #4 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft that takes place on Thursday, June 20th.
For the Pelicans, the trade madness might not quite be over yet. Woj has gone on to allude to the fact that other teams throughout the league are now interested in seeing what it’ll take to pry the #4 pick away from David Griffin.
Teams are already expressing significant interest in the No. 4 overall pick belonging now to the Pelicans, league sources tell ESPN. Talks are expected to continue over the next few days. This deal could get even bigger for the Pelicans.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 15, 2019
Whether or not the New Orleans Pelicans should actually trade away this pick for someone else is up to debate, but depending on what caliber of players are offered up, it might be worth it. Let’s take another shot at predicting the future and look at three possible players that would make sense to bring aboard in exchange for this newly acquired pick from the Lakers.
Clint Capela: Houston Rockets, Center
With Anthony Davis out the door and no big men coming back in the trade package, the New Orleans Pelicans are going to need some help in the paint. AD is one of the most formidable bigs in the NBA, so losing him is clearly going to leave a huge void in New Orleans’ rotation. Houston’s athletic center Clint Capela could be an admirable replacement.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a one-for-one swap if Capela were to be the one to try to step in Davis’ shoes. For one, he’s not nearly as “stretchy” as AD. Capela’s career three point percentage is literally 0%. But that’s okay. If you’re trading for Capela, you’re just trading for his worth down low and nothing else. He’s a good shot blocker and pulls in an absurd number of rebounds as well.
For his career, he’s also about a 64% shooter from the field. Granted, it’s because he only takes high percentage shots, but there’s a ton of value in having a player that you can rely on to get you a bucket more often than not when you need him to.
Of the three names on this list, Capela’s isn’t exactly the sexiest. However, he’s definitely gettable according to multiple reports recently. David Griffin could even ask for more pieces back in this trade depending on just how valuable this pick is to the Rockets.
Myles Turner: Indiana Pacers, Center
In comparison to a guy like Clint Capela, Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers fits the mold of the modern big man much better. Myles shot about 39% from three point range this last season on about 2.6 attempts per game. With a percentage like that, it would be nice to see him get some more looks from beyond the arc, and the Pelicans could give him that chance.
Having shooters at all positions around Zion Williamson will be crucial to his success, so Turner being a threat from distance makes him the perfect type of center to put in the starting rotation for the New Orleans Pelicans. He sets good screens and has gotten a lot stronger recently, so he’s got a ton of value on both ends of the court.
Where Turner truly shines, however, is defensively. In the 2018-2019 season, he led the entire NBA in total blocks and blocks per game. Anthony Davis is clearly a great shot blocker himself, so plugging Turner into the lineup would ensure it’s a smooth defensive transition.
The kicker here is that the Pacers have two starting-caliber centers on their roster right now with Domantas Sabonis also emerging as a prolific force in the post in his own right. The Pacers might be motivated to move one of their big men in order to address a more pressing need via the draft. If the Pelicans have their choice from Indy’s two bigs, Turner is the correct one.
Bradley Beal: Washington Wizards, Guard
The Washington Wizards have been a hot mess recently. Between devastating injuries to players like John Wall and a lot of rumored turmoil in the locker room, many believe it’s time for this roster to be broken up. Wall is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2019-2020 season as well, so there’s no point in trying to be super competitive in the immediate future.
Because of this, it’s possible that Bradley Beal might be more available than ever before. An All-Star the last two season, Beal fills David Griffin’s desire to return a star player in any Anthony Davis trade package. While Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball have the potential to be great, Beal is already one of the best shooting guards in the NBA.
Beal has averaged more than 20 points in each of the last three seasons. The dude can just flat out get buckets. He’s shot over 40% from range three times, with his career average leveling out around 38%. The New Orleans Pelicans finished 24th in the league in three point percentage this past season, so adding a talent like Beal’s would ensure the team’s spacing is better for Zion.
The #4 pick alone for Beal likely wouldn’t be enough, but pairing Lonzo Ball along with the pick probably could get it done. It would be a steep price to pay, but Beal really is that type of guy.
We’re not out of the woods yet in the Anthony Davis saga. While this earthquake of a deal is finally happening, there will be shockwaves over the next few days that will continue to shape the New Orleans Pelicans into a completely different team. Stay tuned to Pelican Debrief for more updates as the situation unfolds.