New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Reasons to Trade Out of the 2020 NBA Draft

The New Orleans Pelicans need size, strength and savvy.

The Pels Need a Few Grown Adults

During one of the bubble games, my wife turned to me and said, “Derrick Favors looks like the only grown adult on the team.”

She wasn’t wrong.

The Pelicans got pushed around in the bubble, out-hustled, out-muscled and at times looked like a junior varsity team taking on the seniors.

With Favors likely on the way out, the Pelicans need some grown adults with grown man strength to complement their bevy of talented young players.

Guys like LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard barely notice the spindly Pelican defenders as they are going through them, and it would be nice to have someone who could at least slow them down.

If the Pelicans get a chance to trade their pick for an adult veteran who has some strength and can play defense, they should jump at it.

Favors didn’t play well in the bubble, but if he walks, the Pelicans will definitely miss his strength on the interior and Jaxson Hayes isn’t going to be a replacement.

Watching these playoffs, it’s clear that there is still a pretty big gap between the Pelicans and the top teams, especially when it comes to size and strength.

Instead of adding another undersized young player, the Pelicans should consider trading the pick for a defensive-minded veteran if the chance presents itself.

The New Orleans Pelicans need to get bigger, stronger and smarter, which is why it might be a good idea to trade out of a weak draft in a year with so many unknowns.