The New Orleans Pelicans aren't where they thought they'd be. They aren't where they thought they'd be at the beginning of the season. They aren't where they thought they'd be a month ago either.
Coming into the 2024-25 NBA season, the Pelicans figured they'd be dark-horse title contenders. After all, they had just gotten the healthiest season of Zion Williamson's career the year before, saw him fully commit to slimming down over the summer, and traded for Dejounte Murray at the top of the offseason. With good health, there's no reason that the Pelicans shouldn't have at least made the Play-In Tournament.
Unfortunately, they did not have good health at the beginning of the season, with multiple key rotation members missing multiple weeks in the first couple of months of the campaign. At the end of 2024, the Pelicans were 5-28, banished to the very bottom of the Western Conference standings. Through January, New Orleans has more than doubled their win total and is now sitting at 12-32. They're currently riding a four-game win streak and have passed the Utah Jazz in the West and have watched multiple Eastern Conference squads race past them in losses as well. The Pelicans stumbled into an opportunity to tank in a year with a loaded draft class, but they'll squander it away unless they make meaningful moves before the trade deadline.
The New Orleans Pelicans need to commit to tanking at the trade deadline
This Pelicans team is simply too talented to tank organically. The roster has some holes, but this squad is showing why New Orleans needs to shed some of its veterans at the trade deadline. Even without Brandon Ingram, they've gone 7-4 this month. Zion Williamson only played in two of those wins and also played in two of the losses.
At the least, the Pelicans need to find a way to deal CJ McCollum. This month, he's averaged 24.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting a scorching hot 48 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. Executive Vice President David Griffin has to strike while the iron is hot on CJ's trade value while simultaneously taking away one of the Pelicans' best players who is actively spoiling their tank job.
Ingram can only remain on the sidelines so long with his high ankle sprain. The league offices will be checking in soon to see why he's still not playing. If the Pelicans don't want him suiting up and ruining their lottery odds, they'll have to find a trade for him too, even if they think they don't have to deal him this season.
It seems that the team has decided against trading Zion and Dejounte Murray, and they've already named Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Yves Missi, and Jordan Hawkins as the key cogs in their future. That's already far too talented a core to compete for the number one pick in the draft naturally. Adding in CJ and BI will only guarantee that the Pelicans wind up back in NBA purgatory for another summer. If New Orleans is serious about landing a franchise-changing rookie this offseason, they'll have to make some major moves before the trade deadline.