The New Orleans Pelicans dropped the first big bomb of the summer, trading Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams, the 10th pick and a future first for Jonas Valanciunas and the 17th pick.
I thought a move like this would make sense for a number of reasons but was still surprised that David Griffin was able to pull it off, as I didn’t think there would be much of a market for Bledsoe and Adams and he managed to deal both in one trade.
He was cleaning up his own mess, but I give him credit for recognizing it and moving on quickly instead of trying to put more into the sunk costs of his terrible roster construction.
When grading this trade, I am just going to look at the Pelicans’ side, as I am really not sure what Memphis is up to and don’t fully understand why they would make this deal unless there is someone they really LOVE with the 10th pick.
I’ll take a look at this trade from a number of angles and give grades for each. Let’s start with how the trade with Memphis affects the present.
New Orleans Pelicans: Grade for the Memphis trade, the present
When just looking at the present day value of this trade, I think it is a homerun for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Valanciunas gives you just about everything Adams does in terms of interior defense, rebounding and setting picks and has actually been a better rim protector than Adams for most of his career.
He is also WAY better on offense in just about every measurable way. He is a better scorer with more range, a pretty good passer and his ability to step out and hit jumpers should open more space for Zion Williamson on the inside.
Valanciunas is a winner who has been on some very good teams and should bring the same kind of veteran presence and leadership that Adams did.
In addition, the Pelicans get rid of Bledsoe, who was never a good fit and didn’t add much to the team on either end. It’s a win/win for the Pels when it comes to the present, as they got a player who is a better roster fit, but there is more.
Grade: A
New Orleans Pelicans: Grade for the Memphis trade, the present
One of the other big benefits of this trade to the present roster is that the Pelicans got rid of Eric Bledsoe, who had a bad attitude, was a bad fit and simply had a bad season for the Pels.
Not only do they get rid of his lackluster play, but his subtraction opens up more minutes for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who I believe is on the verge of a breakout season.
Not only that, but the Pelicans cleared a ton of cap space in the trade, enough to re-sign Lonzo Ball and a mid-level free agent or to use on a big name like Kyle Lowry or maybe even Chris Paul.
This was the biggest gain in the trade, as the Pels needed an injection of impact talent and probably weren’t going to get it with the 10th pick in the NBA Draft.
They will now have as much as $36 million in cap space depending on what they do with their own guys.
Finally, moving down seven spots in the NBA Draft could end up hurting the Pelicans, but it’s also just as likely that they can find a useful talent in that range, as there isn’t usually a huge gap between these picks and this is a very deep draft.
Some of the same guys available at 10 might still be there at 17, so the Pels might get the guy they want anyway.
I might be biased (I am) but I really don’t see any downside to this trade for the present. The Pelicans got a better fit, cap space and will still have a first round pick in a deep draft.
Grade: A
New Orleans Pelicans: Grade for the Memphis trade, the future
When you look into the future that’s when this trade starts to look a little worse for the Pelicans.
Not only did they give up the 10th pick in a loaded draft, but gave up one of their 2022 first round picks as well, the one that will come from the Lakers.
I did just say that the difference between the 10th and 17th picks might not be that big, but it could also be huge.
If Memphis takes a guy like Davion Mitchell or Josh Giddey and he becomes a star, the Pelicans might regret giving that up just for some cap space and one year of Valanciunas.
The 2022 pick will likely be in the 20’s if the Lakers bounce back and are good again this season but if they aren’t? There is a possibility that the Lakers will have some injuries and miss the playoffs, in which case the Pels just gave up two lottery picks to get off of Bledsoe’s contract, which is a steep price to pay.
Valanciunas is only under contract for one more season, which could be a good thing, as it will open up more cap space, but he is essentially a rental who could leave after this season, leaving the Pels with just the 17th pick to show for their big trade.
I think there are some ways that this trade looks awful in the future, especially if Davion Mitchell becomes the next Donovan Mitchell and the Pelicans make the wrong choice with their cap space.
This could blow up in David Griffin’s face, especially since he only made the trade to cover his own mistakes. If this doesn’t work out, he might be looking for a new job, which is why I can’t give this the future of this trade high marks.
Grade: C+