5 All-Stars Pelicans could end up trading for this season

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. Kira Lewis Jr. & Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers. Kira Lewis Jr. & Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images) /
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Do you think that this time last year the Dallas Mavericks thought they would end up trading for Kyrie Irving? Or that the Phoenix Suns thought they would be trading for Kevin Durant? The Suns might have had a hunch (because they were in the running for him when he initially requested a trade in July of 2022), but the Mavericks definitely didn’t think that would be in the cards for them.

The point is that this is the NBA. And in the NBA, crazy trades can happen at any time – even trades involving All-Stars. So, if your team had a quiet offseason (like our New Orleans Pelicans), don’t you worry because there’s always a chance that they pull off a blockbuster deal for an All-Star.

But which All-Stars could the Pelicans realistically acquire? We did some contemplating, and here are five names that could fit that designation.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

This one is probably the biggest long shot of them all. But as we’ve already covered, Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t 100 percent committed to the Milwaukee Bucks. And while Antetokounmpo deserves the benefit of the doubt, as he’s been nothing but loyal to the organization in the past, hearing rumors like that is never a good sign (if you are a fan of the star’s current team).

The chances are slim, but there is a world where age catches up to Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, and as a result, the Bucks hardly look the part of a title contender. Maybe then Antetokounmpo sees the ship sinking and decides he wants to get off the vessel before he drowns with it.

Desperate to exchange their franchise star for another human wrecking ball, the Bucks call the Pelicans inquiring about a package that revolves around Antetokounmpo and Zion Williamson. It would take more than just Williamson to land Antetokounmpo. But even with the extra pieces they end up sacrificing, it wouldn’t be too hard for them to build a contender around their new superstar.