CJ McCollum would be a great addition to Pelicans if the price is right

The New Orleans Pelicans could be active at the trade deadline and have been mentioned in myriad rumors of late.

Some are low level moves (like the Mavericks’ Dorian Finney-Smith) while others have New Orleans connected to some more high profile names.

Most recently, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report named the Pels as one of the primary suitors for CJ McCollum, which makes some sense given their need for additional scoring and he would seemingly be a good fit with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

But he is also 30-years-old, fresh off an injury and still has two years remaining on his deal past this one at a hefty price of $33 and $35 million.

While I do like McCollum’s fit with the Pelicans, there are some big risks in trading for him depending on what the Pelicans had to give up.

Jonas Valanciunas and Josh Hart are too much for the Pelicans to give up for McCollum

Fischer mentioned Valanciunas and Josh Hart as the two primary pieces in a McCollum trade, which doesn’t make sense for a few reasons.

The Pelicans can’t trade Valanciunas right now because he signed an extension after September 28th, so that is non-starter.

Not to mention the fact that giving up two starters for McCollum is probably too much anyway, as he is on the wrong side of 30 and his best days are probably behind him.

Both Hart and JV have played very well for the Pelicans this season and look like ideal role players to put with Zion and BI, so count me out on this one even if the Pelicans could do it.

The Pelicans would be much more comfortable moving Hart, Jaxson Hayes and Tomas Satoransky in a deal for McCollum, though the Trail Blazers could probably do better than that and would likely want a first-round pick on top of it.

I’d consider it, as Sato is just salary filler and it’s still unclear if Jaxson Hayes is ever going to be good.

They’d be trading the heart and soul of their team in Josh Hart, a high upside talent in Hayes and their best expiring contract, but be getting back a proven 20 ppg scorer and a guy who shoots 40 percent from 3-point range, which they could definitely use.

If the Pelicans could get CJ McCollum without giving up Valanciunas or a first-round pick, they’d definitely have to consider it, but if the cost is too high, McCollum probably isn’t worth it, as he is too old and too expensive.

Personally, I’d prefer the Pels pursue McCollum’s teammate Norman Powell, who is nearly as good a scorer and comes much cheaper.