The New Orleans Pelicans would love to move off Eric Bledsoe’s contract for a number of reasons.
He doesn’t really fit with Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram and his $18 million contract will make it more difficult for them to retain both Ball and Josh Hart in the offseason.
Bledsoe has looked checked out at times and probably deserved to be benched after admitting he wasn’t “paying attention” during a crucial play vs. the Knicks.
The play of Kira Lewis Jr. and Naji Marshall has definitely made him expendable, but what could they get in a trade?
I wrote about the difficulties of trading Eric Bledsoe and that the Pels basically have two choices. Either give away a draft pick as a sweetener to a rebuilding team to take on Bledsoe’s money or trade him to a contender who has an equally bad contract to send back that might extend another year or two past Bledsoe’s.
Neither option is great, as the Pels would either be giving away draft capital just to get rid of a guy or taking on future money.
So here’s the thing: THE PELICANS HAVE NO LEVERAGE. None. So if you want to trade Bledsoe, you are taking back someone else’s problem or giving away draft picks, it’s that simple.
Here are three guys who might be their best options, starting with a player they’d have to give up at least a first round draft pick to get.
New Orleans Pelicans: The Pels could target Luguentz Dort
Dort definitely fits the profile of what the Pelicans need, as he is a very good defender at multiple positions, doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective and would improve their woeful perimeter defense.
The Thunder will likely have the cap space to absorb Bledsoe’s contract, which would free up a ton of cap space for the Pelicans to work with and give them a younger, better player to replace Bledsoe.
This isn’t going to come for free though, as Dort is making next to nothing and is very productive, so the Pels would have to chip in at least a first-round pick and probably more to make this happen.
OKC is a team that will use its cap space to take on more draft assets, so this is a trade they might make, but it would all come down to how much the Pelicans were willing to pay.
New Orleans Pelicans: Trading for Luke Kennard
I wrote about how the Clippers would be a potential trade partner for the New Orleans Pelicans at the deadline, as they are looking for a veteran guard and Bledsoe would fit right in.
I was soundly laughed out of the room, as Kennard looks like a bad signing, is making nearly the same as Bledsoe and has a contract that runs longer.
But that proposal isn’t looking so stupid now, as Bledsoe has gotten worse, and looks untradeable unless the Pels can find a team that is desperate to get off a longer contract.
The Clippers may be that team, as Kennard has underperformed, has been in and out of the rotation and is making up to $16 million per season for at least the next three years.
This would allow the Clippers to free up some future money and get out from their mistake, while the Pelicans could take a flyer on a guy who provides something that they need, which is 3-point shooting.
Kennard is not going to help the Pelicans’ woeful defense, but neither is Bledsoe and at least Kennard can shoot.
This would not be ideal for either team but would allow each to get something they need.
New Orleans Pelicans: Trading for Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield is the guy the New Orleans Pelicans are familiar with, as they drafted him before trading him to the Kings in the disastrous Boogie Cousins deal.
Hield has not been happy on the Kings and has been a part of trade rumors for several seasons now.
He is another guy whose team would love to get out from under his contract and may be willing to take on Bledsoe’s, since it runs out sooner.
The Kings are going nowhere fast and Bledsoe isn’t going to help them get much better, but neither is Hield and Bledsoe is cheaper.
Hield would give the Pelicans a shooter off the bench, which is something they lack and would be a nice complement with Lewis Jr. in the second unit.
He would also give them some protection against Lonzo Ball leaving.
Again, this is not ideal, but if you want to get rid of Bledsoe, this is the type of deal that they are going to have to do, as no one in the league is going to want to touch that contract unless they are getting some benefit in the form of future cap relief or draft picks.