Pelicans: 4 possible scenarios for the Pels’ backcourt next season

New Orleans Pelicans: Don’t re-sign Lonzo Ball, keep Eric Bledsoe

If the Pelicans are unable to find a trade partner for Eric Bledsoe, then they might decide they can’t afford to keep both him and Lonzo Ball, especially if they have to pay Ball upwards of $20 million per season.

If Ball is not part of the future plans, the Pelicans may decide to keep Bledsoe so that they have some sort of veteran presence in the backcourt.

But Bledsoe cannot be a starting point guard in the NBA and shouldn’t be starting at two-guard either, so even if they keep him, I presume he will come off the bench and that NAW and Kira would still be the starters.

Of course, the Pels could retain Josh Hart and make him a starter with either NAW or Kira, but Hart seems better coming off the bench either way.

This scenario still makes a nod to the youth movement while keeping a veteran around who they could trade at the deadline when his contract won’t look so scary.