Easy and not-so-easy offseason decisions for the Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans: Offseason decisions
Tough Call #1
Jaxson Hayes (Rookie extension)
I’ve gone back and forth on Hayes about ten times this season, as he sometimes looks like he is figuring it out, but almost always regresses soon after.
He was pretty much unplayable in the playoffs, which may not always be the case, but as of now Hayes is still a weak defender and doesn’t offer much on offense other than dunks.
He’ll be looking for a fat extension, and definitely has the potential to outplay a deal in the 4 years/$40 million range, but for a team that is soon to be very expensive, a player like Hayes might be a luxury they can’t afford.
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He is also a decent trade asset, as the Pelicans could potentially package him in a trade to a rebuilding team that wanted to take a flyer on a high-ceiling talent. The Pels could decline to extend him and force him to play out next season, but then he’d be a restricted free agent.
They could also just offer him the QO (just over $9 million) which would make him an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 season.
Is Hayes too much of a head case to invest heavily in? Should the Pels move him now while he still has some value? This is going to be a big one, as giving Hayes too big a salary may end up hamstringing the Pelicans for years to come if he never pans out.