Pelicans: 5 best remaining free agents. Are any fits with the Pels?

NBA free agency is only in day two but the New Orleans Pelicans have already been busy.

They shipped Lonzo Ball to the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade after apparently not wanting to match the Bulls’ 4 year/$84 million offer.

David Griffin then worked a sign-and-trade with the Hornets for Devonte’ Graham, who will make half as much as Lonzo Ball and may ultimately be a better fit for the Pelicans.

But the Pelicans still have a considerable amount of cap space leftover, have the MLE at their disposal, so hopefully David Griffin has a plan for what to do with it.

The Pelicans likely still need another starting-caliber player depending on how they feel about Graham, who is probably best served as a scorer off the bench.

They might be able to find one in free agency, as the Pelicans have as much as $24 million left to spend depending on what they do with their own guys.

If we assume Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas are four of the starters and Graham is the first man off the bench, is there a free-agent who makes sense?

Here are the best remaining.

New Orleans Pelicans NBA free agency: DeMar DeRozan

As of the time of writing this, DeMar DeRozan is still a free agent. He is not the best fit with the Pelicans and he may end up getting a bigger deal than they are able to offer, so I see him as a long shot.

DeRozan would offer some scoring stability and size but he’s also most comfortable in the mid-range, and the Pelicans are looking for players who spread the floor.

I like him from a talent and leadership standpoint but I don’t see him as a great fit and I think the Pelicans will look elsewhere.