Can the New Orleans Pelicans Afford to Keep Josh Hart?

The New Orleans Pelicans will have some tough decisions to make over the next few years, including what to do with Josh Hart.

Whether you consider Josh Hart a shooting guard or a small forward, he is a valuable player for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Hart emerged as the Pelicans’ most important bench player this season, playing versatile defense against multiple positions, pulling down rebounds and hitting open 3-point shots.

In a vacuum, it is a no-brainer that the New Orleans Pelicans would re-sign Josh Hart when his contract ends after the 2020-21 season.

Unfortunately salary matters and Hart is due for a hefty pay raise on his next contract, which could be with the Pelicans, but may very well be with someone else.

With Brandon Ingram likely to receive a maximum contract extension this summer and Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson not far behind, the Pelicans are going to have to spend their cap space efficiently if they want to retain their “Big Three” and still have a deep bench.

The Pels currently lack quality depth on the wing, so Josh Hart has become a key member of the second unit, often defending the opponent’s best small forward or shooting guard.

Hart’s 6.5 rebounds per game are good for 6th in the NBA for guards and everyone ahead of Hart on the list is a starter who plays more minutes.

Hart is also hitting 34.2 percent of his long-range shots, and that, coupled with his defense, is likely to get him paid when he becomes a free agent.

The question is how much is Josh Hart going to get paid and will the New Orleans Pelicans be the team cutting the check?

If the Pelicans feel like they won’t be able to retain Hart, he’ll become a primary trade chip over the next few seasons, but if they can afford it, re-signing Hart would be ideal.