Will New Orleans Pelicans be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline?

The New Orleans Pelicans already have a lot of ground to make up in the Western Conference if they want to make the playoffs.

They have foundational talent in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram but so far, just about everyone else has been a disappointment.

It is way too early to give up on the season but it’s fair to ask if the Pelicans would be better off adding someone at this trade deadline or possibly trading some of their own players for future assets.

The Pelicans are in an interesting situation, as Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are so good that it has raised expectations for this young team, perhaps a bit prematurely.

The two look like the best under-25 duo in the NBA but the roster around them is not currently playoff-caliber.

But what should they do about it?

New Orleans Pelicans: When is the NBA trade deadline?

The NBA trade deadline is March 25th, 2021, so the Pels still have two full months to turn things around.

The Pelicans will likely be active at the trade deadline one way or another. They have players like JJ Redick and Lonzo Ball who are on the final year of their contracts and could be moved for future assets.

The Pelicans also have plenty of assets of their own, so if they wanted to make a blockbuster trade for someone like Bradley Beal, they probably have the ammo to do it.

The Pelicans could do nothing of course, but it seems unlikely that they would allow Redick and Ball to potentially walk for nothing.

Will they be buyers, using their young players and assets to try and add a star?

Or will they be sellers, looking to trade Redick, Ball and whoever else to get back project players or draft picks?

There is an argument for both.