New Orleans Pelicans: Why weren’t Pels involved in recent trade?

The New Orleans Pelicans have been quiet on the trade front so far but the big question is why.

There are certainly some factors that could lead to this being a fairly boring trade deadline, as JJ Redick is hurt, there isn’t much of a market for Eric Bledsoe and Lonzo Ball is playing too well to trade.

But there was a recent trade between the Detroit Pistons and OKC Thunder that had me wondering if David Griffin is on vacation because it involved two guys who could have potentially helped the Pelicans.

On paper, the trade of Svi Mykhailiuk and a 2027 second round pick for Hamidou Diallo is not a blockbuster that is going to shake the foundations of the league.

But this is exactly the type of low-cost/high-reward trade David Griffin should be seeking out as the Pelicans try to add pieces around Zion Williamson.

These two guys could have helped and cost next to nothing, so why weren’t the Pelicans involved?

New Orleans Pelicans: Svi Mykhailiuk could have been a nice fit

With Redick on the way out and the Pelicans already bereft of shooters, a guy like Svi Mykhailiuk would have been worth a flyer, especially since it didn’t cost much to get him.

This is a guy who has size, is a decent defender and shot over 40 percent from long range on high volume last season. He was struggling on the last-place Pistons but definitely has upside, is still young and would have been a nice fit on a team that desperately needs shooting.

I wrote about Mykhailiuk as a possibility weeks ago but apparently grabbing a potentially elite shooter for nothing is not something David Griffin is interested in for some reason.

New Orleans Pelicans: Why not Hamidou Diallo?

The Pistons were probably winners of the trade, as they got the guy with higher upside even though they had to give up a second-round pick as a sweetener.

Diallo is precisely the type of player the Pelicans need, as he is a long, athletic defender who can guard multiple spots and would give them some length on the perimeter.

He would have been a low-cost replacement for Bledsoe if the Pels can find a taker, and even though he will be a restricted free agent, he will probably re-sign on a team friendly deal that will cover a big chunk of his prime years.

The Pels could have offered a couple of second-round picks and gotten in on this deal, essentially getting an ascending talent with a skillset they need for nothing.

Where was David Griffin? Diallo could have helped the Pelicans now and in the future and would have been a nice get.

The New Orleans Pelicans don’t necessarily need a big blockbuster trade but should be looking for these types of moves, which cost little and had potential big pay off.