Report: Pelicans willing to trade 8th pick for “win now compensation”
New Orleans Pelicans: Draft trade for an impact player
Another type of trade would be if the Pelicans moved their pick without getting back another one, which may net them a better player.
They could potentially move the contracts of Garrett Temple and Devonte’ Graham along with the 8th pick, for a player who could make an impact for them now.
Some names that have been mentioned in the past are guys like Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, Ben Simmons and John Collins. While none of those players may end up traded it gives you some idea of the caliber of player they could expect to get back, though these are still long shots.
It may not seem like a great return for a top-10 pick, but if they can get off those two contracts at the same time, it makes the trade more valuable for the Pelicans.
In the end, the 8th pick probably isn’t enough to get a true star but may be too much to give up for a guy who figures to be the 4th or 5th scoring option on the roster.
David Griffin and the New Orleans Pelicans will certainly explore all of their options when it comes to the 8th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but in the end, may not find a deal that is worth it.