New Orleans Pelicans: 5 Pels most likely to be traded before the deadline

New Orleans Pelicans: could the Pelicans trade Lonzo Ball?

The elephant contract in the room: Lonzo Ball

Going into last season, Lonzo Ball was 100 percent considered part of the core of the New Orleans Pelicans, but now? I’m not so sure.

I am sure the Pels would love him to have a breakout season, sign a reasonable extension and stay, but if he doesn’t? Will Lonzo Ball be headed for greener pastures?

If we know anything about the Balls, it’s that they want the spotlight. They’ve also talked a lot about playing together at some point, so Lonzo may decide to just leave in free agency. The Pels would be able to match any offer he gets but Lonzo is already rich from his off-the-court endeavors and may take fewer years to play in a city like New York or join his brother in Charlotte.

The Pelicans can’t count this scenario out, which is why they could look to trade Lonzo by the deadline. This became a possibility when the Pels traded Jrue Holiday for a point guard and then added another one via the draft.

The best case scenario is that Lonzo makes a leap this year, gels with Zion and Ingram, and takes his place as the third piece of the core, but I could also see him playing just well enough to be traded to a team looking for a flashy name to build around.

The New Orleans Pelicans may have to make a move if they want to get to the playoffs, as the current roster is not quite there.