New Orleans Pelicans: Trade or Keep? Where each Pelican fits at deadline

New Orleans Pelicans: Trade or keep? Shooting Guards

JJ. Redick-trade

Redick is the most likely Pelican to be traded even though he has had one of the worst seasons of his career. He is only shooting 35 percent from behind-the-arc, which is the lowest of his career and since he doesn’t do much else these days, Redick is borderline unplayable. Some team will definitely take a chance that Redick will turn it around, but it’s clear now that the Pels should have moved him in the offseason before everyone knew he was cooked.

Eric Bledsoe-trade

Eric Bledsoe is the perfect “stats don’t tell the whole story” player, as he is having one of his better seasons shooting the ball, especially from the 3-point line, but has taken steps backward in just about every other area. Bledsoe’s defense is definitely not what it once was and the fact that he made the All-Defensive team last season is starting to look like a typo. The Pels are regularly giving up huge nights to other guards, usually the one Bledsoe is defending. His shooting is still too inconsistent to call him a threat and he doesn’t even try to penetrate anymore. Unfortunately, he is another guy whose value just keeps going down.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker-trade

NAW does not really fit the mold of the type of player to put around Zion Williamson. I have never really been a huge believer in NAW, mostly because his entire offensive game revolves around taking difficult shots, so when he is making them he looks amazing but he looks like garbage when he isn’t. He doesn’t defend or shoot the 3-ball well enough to be a 3-and-D wing and makes far too many mistakes to be a lead ball handler. He has a movable contract and upside, so the Pels might be able to get something in return for a guy who can’t crack the rotation over a 19-year-old rookie or broke down Redick.

Josh Hart-pending

I wrote about what it might take to keep Josh Hart and it is starting to look like something that probably won’t happen. He is good enough that some team is going to offer him $15 million or more per season and the Pels simply won’t be able to do that unless they trade Eric Bledsoe. Even if they can unload Bledsoe, do they really want to splash out that much for Hart? People keep talking about his defense, versatility and rebounds, all strengths but he is not that big and offers next to nothing offensively. He’s actually gotten worse in that area, so I am not sure the Pels should be in the Josh Hart market unless that market is in the $10 million range, which it probably won’t be.