New Orleans Pelicans: Front Office Grades for All 2019-20 Transactions
The New Orleans Pelicans had mixed success with their moves this season.
It seems like about a hundred years ago that the New Orleans Pelicans signed rookie Zion Williamson to a multi-year contract.
But Zion signed on July 1st, 2019, just over a year ago, though it seems like a lifetime.
Related Story. The Zion for Giannis Trade Could Happen. light
The Pelicans have been through a lot since then, including Zion’s injury and eventual return, a 6-22 start, a last ditch run at the playoffs, a global pandemic, bubble collapse and their coach being fired. Phew!
Because of that we haven’t had much time to reflect on the moves the front office made this season and whether any of them actually made the team better.
The 2019-20 season really started with the signing of Zion and progressed from there.
We’ve graded each move from the season to see how David Griffin and Trajon Langdon did in their first season in the Pelicans’ front office.
July 6th, 2019
The New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis for Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, De’Andre Hunter, cash and three first round picks:
Grade: A
We’ve said that the Pelicans won the Davis trade and we stand by it. It was a win/win really, as the Lakers got LeBron James a second superstar and the Pels got a ton of young talent. The Pelicans were going to lose Davis either way and Griffin did a masterful job of get max value in the trade.
July 7, 2019
The New Orleans Pelicans traded Jordan Bone, Solomon Hill, De’Andre Hunter and a 2023 2nd round draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes, Marcos Louzada Silva and a 2020 1st round draft pick.
Grade: C+
It turns out that the Pels may have made a mistake when they included De’Andre Hunter in this trade, as he has been the best player of the group so far and the type of long wing the Pelicans desperately need.
NAW and Jaxson Hayes played sparingly, but did show potential, so this one is not over yet, especially when you factor in the potential of Louzada next season. On paper this one looked good, but Hunter is already a valuable contributor for Atlanta and the Pels could have used him.
The Pels signed both NAW an Hayes to multi-year, team-friendly contracts, so if they produce it could be a homerun for the Pelicans, but if they don’t, New Orleans will be wondering what they might look like with Hunter as part of their core.