New Orleans Pelicans Rumors: A trade with OKC Thunder for Chris Paul

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – NOVEMBER 02: Lonzo Ball #2 of the New Orleans Pelicans and Chris Paul in trade rumors (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

New Orleans Pelicans trade rumors: Chris Paul for a Lonzo Ball package

Trading Lonzo Ball for Chris Paul

If the New Orleans Pelicans are not going to include Jrue Holiday in a trade for Chris Paul, then Lonzo Ball would almost certainly have to be part of the deal.

This makes it nearly impossible for the Pelicans to match salaries, as Paul is making over $42 million, but let’s see if we can make it work. This gets the Pels close, but they would still have to find a way to cut additional salary to stay under the tax:

In this trade, the Pels are giving up two rotation players, one of which is an emerging young point guard the Thunder can build around. J.J. Redick has to be included to make the salaries work, as does Darius Miller’s fully guaranteed contract.

The Pels would probably still have to make another trade to stay out of the tax but would have a starting five of Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes.

That is a great starting five but the Pels already have little depth and this would deplete it even more. It seems unlikely that the Pelicans would be able to give up three guys for one in any scenario, as they already need help at both forward positions and center.

I just don’t see a way this trade can happen without including Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans would almost have to extend Lonzo Ball first to make the salaries work and that is not happening.