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

New Orleans Pelicans rumors: Trading for Chris Paul makes no sense

Verdict: Pass

I just don’t see how the New Orleans Pelicans can add Chris Paul to this team even if they trade Jrue Holiday.

The Lonzo Ball package still puts the Pelicans into the luxury tax and that’s before they even fill out the rest of their roster and re-sign Brandon Ingram.

If the Pels are truly shopping Jrue Holiday, as has been reported, there are any number of trades that can net them a better package and still keep them out of the luxury tax.

If the Pelicans already had depth at forward and center, this is a move they could make, as adding Chris Paul to any talented roster immediately makes them a contender, but the Pelicans with Paul would have no depth and have a backcourt that is a combined 65 years old.

This is a fun rumor to kick around but I’ve yet to see anyone explain how it could work financially. Even if the Pels could find a way to trade for Paul without giving up too many players, they would have to go into the tax to do it and I’m not sure he’s that guy anymore.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be involved in every rumor but this one doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for either team.