The New Orleans Pelicans have been getting plenty from their starting five, but their bench has been awful this season.
The Pels’ bench is 25th in scoring and does not currently feature a player who has consistently had a positive impact this season.
The closest is probably journeyman Willie Hernangomez, who has been solid, but pretty much everyone else has been bad.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has alarmingly bad shooting numbers though he has played decent defense. Tomas Satoransky and Garrett Temple don’t look like NBA rotation players right now and rookie Trey Murphy III is glued to the bench.
The Pelicans need some weapons for coach Willie Green and there are some teams who have guys that would offer an upgrade.
Here are five teams that the Pelicans could target for a trade to upgrade their bench.
The New Orleans Pelicans could trade with the Detroit Pistons
Kelly Olynyk, Josh Jackson, Cory Joseph
The Pistons are terrible but they do have some veterans who could at least add some stability to the bench, though none of the options are that exciting unless Jerami Grant comes back from injury.
Kelly Olynyk is the best of this group, but he is out with a knee injury and would cost the most in a trade, though the Pels could probably get him for Jaxson Hayes and a pick. He’d be a nice get actually, and a future fit with Zion Williamson as a big who can stretch the floor.
Josh Jackson can’t shoot but would be an upgrade to the defense and he also brings an element of toughness that the Pels lack on the bench. I’d love to watch him and Herb Jones on the perimeter.
Cory Joseph is a steady hand as a veteran backup point guard who is pretty good at setting up teammates and would be an upgrade over Satoransky.
Potential trades for the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets
DJ Augustin, Danuel House, Eric Gordon
If the Pelicans just wanted a veteran to hold down the bench unit as point guard, then old timer DJ Augustin is an option. He’s hitting 43 percent of his 3-point shots and knows how to run an offense, so he’d be an upgrade even at 34-years-old.
Danuel House has been waived, so the Pelicans could just sign him without giving anything up. At his best, House was a pretty good 3-and-D wing, but he is hurt right now and hasn’t played as well the last two seasons.
Eric Gordon is not a guy most Pels’ fans would want back, but he’d be an upgrade at backup shooting guard right now and give them a consistent scoring option off the bench. He’d be the most costly as far as assets and also has extra years on his contract that the Pels probably don’t want on their books.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Mike Muscala, Kenrich Williams
Mike Muscala is a guy I have long wanted on the Pels, as a he is a 6-foot-10 forward who can shoot. He is knocking down 43 percent from long range off the Thunder bench, though he is only getting 14 minutes a game. He’s a guy who wouldn’t likely cost much and the Thunder are always looking for extra picks down the road.
Kenrich Williams is another former Pelican but he was actually a fan-favorite unlike Gordon. Williams brings some hustle and defense off the bench and is shooting 40 percent from 3-point range this season. I am not sure he’d be much of an upgrade over Naji Marshall, though Marshall hasn’t shot the ball well in the limited minutes he’s played.
Potential trades for the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs
Thaddeus Young, Lonnie Walker
Thad Young is the guy the Pelicans should have gotten in the Lonzo Ball trade, but instead got stuck with Satoransky and Temple, two duds how have contributed nothing. Young hasn’t been playing much for the Spurs but he is still likely to be one of the most coveted veterans at the trade deadline.
I could see a number of contenders wanting to add Young to their bench, so the Pels would probably have to pay more than they’d like for a guy his age.
Lonnie Walker is an interesting case, as he is on the final year of his deal and may not be part of the Spurs’ future plans. He’s not much of a shooter but he’s a good athlete who brings energy and can run the floor.
Sacramento Kings
Marvin Bagley III, Buddy Hield
If the Pelicans wanted to take a risk on a high-ceiling guy who needs a change of scenery, then Bagley might be worth a flyer.
He can stretch the floor and adds an element on offense that Hernangomez does not.
Buddy Hield is a guy a lot of Pelicans’ fans would love to see come back to New Orleans, though they may not like paying him over the next several seasons if it doesn’t work out.
Hield woud immediately upgrade the Pelicans’ shooting and give them a weapon off the bench, so he’d be a guy I would definitely call about if I were David Griffin.