Pelica Debrief
Fansided

5 Players Pelicans will most likely trade before training camp

By Michael Saenz

Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Jonas Valanciunas, New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Larry Nance Jr. Pelicans
Larry Nance Jr., New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images) /

Larry Nance Jr.

As a midseason acquisition during the 2021-22 NBA season, Larry Nance Jr. had a solid first full season with the Pelicans this past year. He concluded the 2022-23 season by averaging seven points and five rebounds on a career-high 61 percent shooting from the field. As a backup center, though, there’s a chance that Nance could end up being a trade candidate before the start of the season.

And with two affordable years (roughly $10.5 million per year) remaining on his contract, he could be an enticing trade target for any team looking to add depth in the frontcourt. The question is: is this the right time to cash in on Nance as an asset when he could probably offer the Pelicans some much-needed insurance behind Zion Williamson?

On one hand, if Zion does get injured again, the team’s season is probably over, as we saw last year. However, Nance is a valuable player to have behind Zion or even Jonas Valanciunas if an injury were to happen. That said, if Nance was to be traded before the start of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising.