The New Orleans Pelicans have been the forgotten team of this 2024-25 NBA season. They came into the year with lofty expectations but were quickly ruled out as serious contenders after a flurry of injuries caused them to have a start so disastrous that it'd be practically impossible for them to make the playoffs still.
The Pelicans having their season essentially ended after just two months makes it pretty easy for the league and its media to dismiss them for the remainder of the year. With New Orleans sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings at just 10-32, it'll be easy for anyone who's not a direct fan to forget about them until the draft lottery. It's why Trey Murphy III's breakout season has fallen on deaf ears.
While the Pelicans won't be in the playoffs, their presence could be felt heavily in the postseason. That's because they're one of the few sellers on the trade market this season. New Orleans is armed with a cache of strong veteran players who have no future on the team and would preferably be moved as soon as possible. With players like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum on the block, the Pelicans should be one of the most important teams at the trade deadline. Bleacher Report recognized the huge role that New Orleans should play on the trade market this season, as the publication drew up four different trades involving the Pelicans in their recent article outlining one proposed deal for every single team in the NBA.
Grading each of Bleacher Report's recent proposed Pelicans trades
1. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics haven't been quite as dominant this season as they were last year en route to the 2024 NBA championship. This is due to a combination of increased parity in the league, a stronger Eastern Conference, championship fatigue from the Cs, and injuries to some of their core members. While Boston should be able to hit their fifth gear in the playoffs, it wouldn't be a bad idea for them to upgrade their roster on the margins.
Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz suggested that they trade for the Pelicans' Javonte Green to add wing depth and defensive toughness to their bench. In return, New Orleans would get one of the few expendable trade assets that Boston has left in Jaden Springer. Springer is still only 22 years old and has shown some promising flashes throughout his four seasons in the NBA, especially on the defensive end of the court. This is the exact kind of trade that the Pelicans should be looking to make to help kickstart the rebuild on their next era, although nabbing a second-round pick or two would really perfect this deal for New Orleans.
Grade: B+
2. Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons have been one of the best stories in the league this year, as they've finally started to see their rebuild pay off. 2021's first-overall pick Cade Cunningham has exploded onto the scene, submitted an undeniable All-Star bid, and led his Pistons to a 21-19 record nearly halfway through the season.
Swartz surmised that the Pistons should capitalize on their success and try to build a dark-horse contender this year by trading for Brandon Ingram. In return, the Pelicans would get Isaiah Stewart, Tim Hardaway Jr. to match salaries, and a 2025 second-round pick.
Isaiah Stewart is a good get and someone I've previously posited would be a good fit alongside Zion Williamson in the frontcourt due to his combination of size and outside shooting. That said, this is undeniably a light return for someone as talented as Ingram, even if he is on an expiring contract.Tim Hardaway Jr. won't be able to be flipped for anything meaningful either.
Grade: C-
3. Los Angeles Clippers
Like the Pistons, the Los Angeles Clippers find themselves in the playoff picture but far outside the top tier of contenders in the NBA right now. With Kawhi Leonard back now, that could change rather quickly, but their roster certainly doesn't seem capable of stacking up against the likes of the Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, or Oklahoma City Thunder.
That's why Swartz suggested that they should trade for another elite scorer in Brandon Ingram. In return, they'd send New Orleans Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Tucker, and a second-round pick in 2031.
This feels like Swartz wanted to get BI on the Clippers and then worked backwards from there. At 28 years old, Terance Mann could technically be a feature part of the Pelicans' next era, but he's not exactly a rising prospect anymore. This trade would make more sense if New Orleans was looking to compete immediately and wanted to swap Ingram for role players that could help take them over the hump. Not only should the Pelicans be avoiding a retool like this, but this particular group of supporting pieces wouldn't make any difference for New Orleans.
Grade: F
4. Orlando Magic
The first three trades were deals that Swartz drew up specifically for the other teams. This theoretical swap was the one he came up with for the Pelicans.
The Orlando Magic have seen significant injuries to their two top players in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and have survived them admirably, currently fifth in the East at 23-19. This first half to the season has proven the strength of the Magic's depth and has shown that they're closer to title contention than initially expected.
They've been able to tread water behind the excellence of their defense, but the Magic could certainly use another perimeter scorer to open up the offense. Like me, Swartz believes that CJ McCollum would be a perfect fit alongside Paolo and Franz as a third option who can stretch the floor and take over as a self-creator when needed.
In return, the Pelicans would get Jonathan Isaac, Gary Harris, and a 2025 second-round pick. CJ may be in the twilight of his prime, but he should be able to command a better package than this. Swarts tries to sell Isaac, a 27-year-old role player who missed almost three entire seasons due to injury, as a promising piece to build with alongside Zion.
Grade: F