In their latest game, the New Orleans Pelicans got throttled by the Houston Rockets, 113-133. This latest loss dropped them to 5-23 so far through the 2024-25 NBA season, by far the worst mark in the Western Conference and inching closer to the Washington Wizards for the very bottom of the entire league.
Over a third of the way into the campaign and playing in an absolutely stacked conference, it would take a historically torrid run from the Pelicans in order to even make the Play-In Tournament, let alone the playoffs. They may not have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention yet, but they're essentially already ineligible by every conceivable measure.
This isn't news to anyone — not the team, the fans, or the executives working behind the scenes of the organization. It's why the Pelicans are expected to make everyone on the roster available for trade aside from a few young prospects. Even if they actively chose not to tank the remainder of the season, their piss-poor record, lack of on-court cohesiveness, and constant wrestle with injuries would force them into it anyways. If they needed any more motivation to give up on the season, this year's trade market should be the final nail in the coffin.
A slew of contenders are expected to pursue a center at the trade deadline
Coming into the season, the Pelicans had some glaring roster holes that would have made it difficult for them to compete with the league's elite teams, even before injuries ravaged their lineups. They desperately needed another playmaker, additional depth on their bench, and more shooting. The weakest part of their roster was by far their suspect center rotation though.
Yves Missi has exceeded all expectations for a 20-year-old rookie taken with the 21st-overall pick who only started playing basketball a few years ago. Still, he's not quite good enough to be a starting center on any serious title contender yet, and that's exactly what New Orleans needed him to be this season.
Of course, the plan was probably to trade for a center before the deadline in order to complete their contending roster. They could have used Brandon Ingram to acquire a starting-level anchor to potentially take them over the hump.
As it turns out, that might have been more difficult than they expected — not that it matters now. According to Jake Fischer via The Stein Line, many contenders are expected to chase after a center this trade season.
The Indiana Pacers already made a move to shore up their rotation by trading for former Miami Heat big man, Thomas Bryant. They're not the only ones hoping to add another anchor ahead of a deep playoff run. Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pursue backup centers to complement their current starters. The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly looking for a lob threat behind Brook Lopez to add a new wrinkle to their offense.
The New York Knicks are searching for insurance for their oft-injured man in the middle, Mitchell Robinson, who's yet to suit up this season. Fischer goes on to list a handful of targets that should be available for the right price, including the Atlanta Hawks' Clint Capela, the Washington Wizards' Jonas Valanciunas, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Robert Williams III. Clearly, the Pelicans would have had a lot of competition bidding for another reliable center. If they weren't committed to tanking already, which they should be, this highly crowded trade market for big men should be more than enough to persuade them.