What would it take to get Harrison Barnes to the Pelicans?

With or without Zion Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans will need more help if they want to be real playoff contenders in the Western Conference.

Their starting lineup has been very good, even without Zion, and Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas are both playing like All-Stars.

Add in key role players like Herb Jones and Josh Hart and you have the makings of a pretty good squad, though they still need depth.

Ideally, they could make a trade for a bench upgrade, or grab another starting-caliber player who could push one of the starters to the bench and improve their overall depth.

The Sacramento Kings are a team many expect to be active, as they are terrible once again, and unlike the Pelicans, can’t blame injuries. They’ve already fired their coach and a teardown may be imminent, as they have some nice young pieces to build around, as well as guys who would net them a haul in a trade.

One such player is Harrison Barnes, who many believe will be the Kings’ big trade chip at the deadline.

He is a consistent scorer, great shooter and defender with size who would definitely help and fit in on the New Orleans Pelicans, who could use his shooting and defense on the perimeter.

But do they have the pieces to get him?

Could the New Orleans Pelicans trade for Harrison Barnes?

The Pelicans have the combination of young players and draft picks the Kings will want if blow up their roster, but it’s unclear if the Pels would be a good match depending on what the Kings do with guys like Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox.

If they keep both of those players, then I can’t see the Pelicans as a match for Barnes, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker would likely be one of Pels’ more attractive young players to a rebuilding team and they’d already have too many guards.

Because they don’t necessarily have the best players to offer, assuming Brandon Ingram is untouchable, the Pelicans would likely have to kick in a bunch of draft picks to make a deal palatable for the Kings, who will get a lot of calls on Barnes.

Would NAW, Jaxson Hayes, Satoransky’s expiring and two first-round picks get it done? Would it take three? More? If the answer is more, then the Pelicans probably wouldn’t be interested, as Barnes is nearly 30, but he has also proven himself as an impact player and is on a team-friendly contract that only runs through next season.

The New Orleans Pelicans are heading in the right direction and may not want to do anything at this point, but Barnes is a quality complementary player who would work well with their core and if they can get him for some combination of young players and picks, they’d have to at least consider it.