The New Orleans Pelicans have quickly gone from a two-game winning streak to a two-game losing one. Not only have they dropped two straight, but they've also done so in disastrous fashion, first getting dominated by a rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers team before wasting a 20-point lead and ultimately getting blown out by a Golden State Warriors team missing their best player in Stephen Curry.
The Pelicans were shorthanded for both games, missing key players in Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III, but they still had more than enough bodies and talent to take care of business against these opponents. Plenty of issues have popped up in this losing spell, including porous perimeter defense, lack of rim protection, and stunted outside shooting, but there's been one primary problem that's severely hampered this squad.
With Murray out, New Orleans is back to playing without a true point guard and the consequences have been ugly. In these past two losses, the Pelicans have averaged just 23.5 assists per game which would rank 22nd in the NBA. They also tallied 38 total turnovers in those two outings, a rate that would rank second-to-last in the league.
Dejounte Murray should be back in 4-6 weeks, but the Pelicans have shown that they could use an additional playmaker beyond him even, as they've severely struggled to generate offense with him sidelined. Murray won't be able to play all 48 minutes when he's back and he could also get injured again, so New Orleans needs to find some insurance to ensure that their offense can stay humming at all times.
The problem is that the Pelicans already feature two small guards in their rotation in CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado. They can't really stand to trade for another traditional point guard, lest they run out a tiny, defensively repugnant team night in and night out. There are three players that New Orleans could trade for to solve their playmaking problem without compromising their size and defense, however.
The Pelicans should target these three players to improve their playmaking
1. Kyle Anderson
New Orleans just got to witness Kyle Anderson's talents firsthand. Although he finished an unsightly 0-9 from the field with just one point scored on the night, he was still a +9 on the night by impacting the game through other avenues, primarily on defense and as a passer.
Anderson played point guard for the UCLA Bruins, and those floor general instincts are still evident every time he steps foot on the court. At 6'9, he has the size, instincts, and IQ to guard multiple positions. He wouldn't be a liability in any way for the Pelicans on the defensive end of the court and would likely be a positive impact actually.
Despite never being a primary ball-handler in the NBA, Anderson has still managed to average nearly five assists per 36 minutes. With his size, length, and hypnotic dribbling, he can manipulate defenses and find passing lanes that smaller guards can't. His ability to see the floor and jumpstart fast breaks would be a welcome talent on the Pelicans.
2. Dalano Banton
Kyle Anderson could be a bit difficult to trade for, as he's fit in well with the Warriors so far and his $8.7 million salary is a tough number for New Orleans to match. If the Pelicans were seeking an easier target with a much lower risk, the Portland Trail Blazers' Dalano Banton could be the ideal player.
Banton is making just $2.1 million this year, making him an easy contract to acquire for the Pels. Like Anderson, Banton is a jumbo playmaker at 6'9. He hasn't gotten much opportunity to command NBA offenses so far, but he's shown the ability to be an effective floor general at this level, averaging 4.7 assists to just 2.6 turnovers per 36 minutes.
He's not nearly as established as Anderson, nor is he anywhere close to the level of defender, but, at 24 years old and just entering his fourth year, Banton has plenty of room to develop as a player. With his size, length, and activity, he could still be an effective defender in the Pelicans' system despite his lack of individual talent on that end of the court.
3. Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball making a return to the Big Easy would be picture-perfect both as a story and as an on-court fit. There was fear that Ball wouldn't ever be able to play basketball again let alone be an effective player after his meniscus tear and complicated rehabilitation process cost him two years of his career. But, he looked strong in preseason and appeared to be getting back on track for the Chicago Bulls this season before spraining his wrist.
If he can return to form, Ball would be a great fit for this Pelicans team. He might not get to the rim as frequently as most point guards, but he has elite vision and touch that allow him to generate offense even without collapsing defenses regularly. His ability to accelerate a team's pace is nearly unparalleled in the NBA. When he's right, he's also one of the best perimeter defenders in the league which would make trading for him a way to kill two birds with one stone for New Orleans. Granted he can return and stay healthy, this homecoming would be too good to pass up for the Pelicans.