New Orleans Pelicans should pursue trade with Hawks for Kevin Huerter

The New Orleans Pelicans should trade Nicolo Melli for Kevin Huerter

Why the Pelicans would do it

There are a couple of reasons that the Pelicans would make this trade.

First, the Pels were horrible defensively last season and seem to want to go in a different direction, especially with their bigs.

They nabbed defensive center Steven Adams and have added additional defensive bulk in Hernangomez, Magnay and Gabriel.

If the Pels are trying to go with more defense down low, then trading Melli makes sense, as he is much more of an offensive player.

Huerter is not a great defender either but the Pels are already strong defensively at the guard position.

Huerter has the potential to be an elite shooter, so this move might also allow the Pelicans to trade J.J. Redick, which would open up some cap space for additional moves. Huerter is bigger and younger than Redick and also makes significantly less money.

Even if the Pels kept them both, the Miami Heat showed the league last year just how valuable elite 3-point shooting is, as the Heat put shooters all over the floor on their march to the finals.

Huerter gives Stan Van Gundy another tall shooter to put on the wing to open up space for Zion Williamson and Adams, who are both dominant in the paint.

Melli could provide that spacing but it’s hard to imagine him in lineups with both Zion and Adams, so his effectiveness in that role will be limited.

There aren’t likely to be any more blockbuster trades before the season but the Pels have the players and assets to augment their roster with players who are a better fit.