New Orleans Pelicans: 5 free agents to keep an eye on

The New Orleans Pelicans will be watching these five NBA free agents.

NBA free agency opens at 5 PM ET and the New Orleans Pelicans will be ready.

After trading three of their draft picks for future selections, the Pelicans will have to fill out and balance their roster, which now includes too many guards.

The Pels could trade someone like Eric Bledsoe for a wing, power forward or center to bring more balance to their guard-heavy roster.

They can also add some low-level free agents, though they will not have a ton of money to spend after extending Brandon Ingram, which is expected to happen soon.

There are some guys who would fill needs for the New Orleans Pelicans but shouldn’t cost too much of their dwindling cap space.

New Orleans Pelicans: Which free agents could the Pels sign?

There are a number of players the Pelicans could target in free agency. Here are five we’d love them to consider:

Nerlens Noel: Noel has long been on my free-agent list, as he is still young, relatively cheap and would give the Pels the rim protection they need.

Aron Baynes: The big Boomer can protect the paint and stretch the floor, two things the Pelicans desperately need from their next center.

James Ennis: A scrappy wing defender to complement Ingram? Yes please.

Meyers Leonard: A potential stretch-five with some size who looks like Justin Bieber on steroids.

Jae Crowder: One of the best available 3-and-D wings who would give the Pels some size and depth at the position.

The New Orleans Pelicans could go a lot of directions in free agency, but barring a trade, they will have to spend their money wisely to find value.