New Orleans Pelicans: Buyers or sellers? Which teams to watch at deadline
The New Orleans Pelicans are currently in the purgatory between chasing the playoffs and chasing the number one pick in the NBA Draft.
The Pels are the most inconsistent team in the NBA, looking like title contenders one night then losing to the worst team in the NBA the next.
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The trade deadline could go either way when it comes to the Pelicans, as they are still close enough to the play-in game to try and add talent at the deadline but also close enough to the bottom of the Western Conference to sell off their veterans for future draft assets and prospects.
Of course, with J.J. Redick out with injury, Eric Bledsoe not garnering much of a market and Lonzo Ball trade rumors cooling off, it could also be a very quiet deadline for the Pelicans.
David Griffin sure isn’t tipping his hand, as the Pels’ front office has been silent about their plans and given no indication on which way they want to go.
Which way should they go?
New Orleans Pelicans: Should the Pels be buyers or sellers?
The question is moot because they probably won’t be either. If the Pelicans make any moves at the deadline, it will be with the future in mind either way, as they are unlikely to trade for a rental in an effort to win now.
Also, without dipping into their young players or draft capital, there are unlikely to get anything of great value in return for guys like Redick and Bledsoe, so moves will be more likely used to clear cap space.
In my opinion, this team needs an overhaul, especially the bench. Also if the Pels want to re-sign Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, then they need to get some salary off the books, so they should be selling as much as possible at the deadline unless it is a blockbuster deal for someone like Aaron Gordon.
We took a look at three teams to monitor if the Pels are sellers and three to watch if they are buyers.