The New Orleans Pelicans could use assets to trade for James Harden
New Orleans Pelicans: Trading for James Harden makes sense
Why the Pelicans would do it
The goal of any NBA team should be to win titles, not to sell their fans on the potential of winning them ten years from now.
Small market teams have the nasty habit of not going for it when they have the chance, instead they pass on chances to get better now for the hope of future players. It’s the “carrot in front of the donkey” that small-market teams dangle in front of fans to keep them engaged even when they aren’t winning.
The point is to win and if you can put together a title team without giving up Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, you do it.
Adding James Harden to this roster would make the Pelicans legit contenders right away and for the entirety of Zion’s rookie deal. Harden’s contract ends just in time to re-sign Zion and by then they could have a title or at least a deep playoff run that may convince him to stay.
Related Story. Ranking Zion Against All Rookies and Sophomores. light
Also, the Pelicans have so many picks that they could do this deal and still have picks in every draft except next year.
They’d have to make some additional roster moves but this would be their tentative rotation:
PG: Eric Bledsoe, Kira Lewis Jr.
SG: James Harden, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SF: Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart
PF: Zion Williamson, Nicolo Melli, Wenyen Gabriel
C: Steven Adams, Jaxson Hayes, Willy Hernangomez
A Zion/Harden or Adams/Harden pick-and-roll would be nearly unstoppable and this team would have the potential to be an offensive juggernaut. The defense should be much improved with the addition of Adams plus a defensive-minded coach in Stan Van Gundy.
This team is now a primary free-agent destination as well and the Pels could lure even more veterans who want to chase rings with their new “Big 3” of Harden, Zion and Ingram.
In my opinion, hoarding draft picks is only worth it if you eventually turn them into stars, so the Pels should be looking for one to add to their core. They can push in their chips for the chance to win titles in Zion’s rookie deal.
Next. Ranking the top-40 No. 1 draft picks of all-time. dark