4 shot blockers the New Orleans Pelicans could target for trades
New Orleans Pelicans: Possible trade targets
Nic Claxton
The Nets are just 5-7 right now, so hardly out of it, but their season has already been a soap opera and who knows how things could turn out.
Claxton is having the best season of his career so far, shooting an amazing 71 percent from the field and blocking 2.2 shots per game. He’s the type of athletic rim protector that many believe should be next to Zion Williamson, with no offense to Jonas Valanciunas.
Claxton is just 23 and under contract for two more seasons at a great price, so he would’t be cheap for the Pelicans. He would cost them at least one of their many first-round picks and then whatever young player they wanted (other than Dyson Daniels) to make the salaries work.
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This would only happen if the Nets decide to blow things up, and it’s too early for that.
Jaden McDaniels
McDaniels is another young player on a favorable contract who is having his best season in the NBA. He’s averaging 11.4 points on good shooting splits and blocking 1.3 shots per game. The Timberwolves have started 5-8 and have been one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments after trading away pretty much all of their future draft picks for Rudy Gobert.
They are another team that has plenty of time to turn it around, so it’s not like they are going to blow it up any time soon. But McDaniels is on a cheap deal that is not guaranteed past this season and could possibly net Minnesota a pick to make up for one of the ones they traded away, so he’s another name to watch as the season progresses.