The New Orleans Pelicans’ options and extensions this offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans’ roster is mostly set for next season, but the Pels will have to make decisions on three young players including Zion Williamson.

Zion, Jaxson Hayes and Kira Lewis Jr’s’ options have all been exercised for next season, but the Pelicans will have to decide what to do about the season after that, as team options are exercised a year in advance.

The three players are in very different situations, but all have the same question lingering around them: Can we count on this guy?

Zion’s injury issues have been well documented (to say the least), Kira Lewis Jr. has missed most of this season with injury and Jaxson Hayes has been inconsistent, though much better of late.

So what will the New Orleans Pelicans do this offseason?

New Orleans Pelicans: Offseason options and extensions

Zion Williamson (rookie extension)

Even though Zion will likely miss this entire season with injury, I still think his extension is a no-brainer for both sides.

The Pelicans might get a chance to lock him into a long-term contract with some team options and incentive-based bonuses to mitigate their risk, while Zion get to maximize his money with the team that can offer him the most.

NBA contracts aren’t worth the paper they are signed on these days, so even if Zion didn’t want to stay with the Pelicans, it would be a smart move financially to sign the max extension now and ask for a trade later if that’s what he wants to do.

I am not saying he does, but there is a reason why no superstar player has ever refused to sign an extension with the team that drafted them, there is a ton of money at stake and the player doesn’t lose any leverage anyway.

Giving Zion Williamson a max extension definitely represents some risk for the Pelicans given his injury history, but they can’t trade him now while his value is at its lowest and have little choice but to roll the dice on a generational talent. Hold your breath, New Orleans.

Jaxson Hayes (rookie extension)

I think Hayes has played well enough to warrant an extension and that he and the Pelicans will come to an agreement this offseason. If the Pelicans could lock him into something in the 4 year/$40 million range, it could end up being a bargain.

Of course, Hayes has shown his tantalizing talent in the past and then regressed, so extending him to a deal like that is still risky for the Pelicans.

He’s another roll of the dice, as he has the potential to be an X-factor for the Pelicans and is still just 21-years-old, but the Pels will be up against the salary cap, so every dollar will count and there are a lot of cheaper guys out there who can give the Pelicans what Hayes is currently giving him.

An extension would be a bet that he has a lot more to give and that might not be true.

Kira Lewis Jr. ($5.7 million team option)

The Pels have already exercised Lewis Jr.’s $4 million option for next season but will have to make a decision about the $5.7 million he is potentially owed the season after that.

Right now there is no way that New Orleans would exercise that option, as Lewis Jr. is coming off a major injury and wasn’t all that impressive when he was healthy.

Jose Alvarado has played much better in a similar role and the Pels also have the undersized Devonte’ Graham, so something is going to have to go give.

I think the Pels could look to move Graham in the offseason and go with the two young guys on the cheap, but if they don’t have faith in Lewis Jr.’s future, he could be the one shipped out as a piece in a bigger trade.

Of these three players, Kira clearly has the murkiest future and could end up traded or playing out next season and becoming a restricted free agent.

The New Orleans Pelicans’ roster doesn’t have a lot of holes right now, but these three decisions could be key to the future of the franchise.