At the start of the NBA offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans lost one of their most valuable front office members, Bryson Graham, to the Atlanta Hawks. Graham spent 14 years working in the Pels front office and was crucial in landing draft steals like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy in 2021. Graham was named as Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Hawks and quickly took that opportunity to punish his former employer and their fans.
As the Pelicans and Hawks completed a draft-night trade that would send pick No. 13 to New Orleans in exchange for pick No. 23 and a 2026 unprotected pick swap between New Orleans and Milwaukee.
With Graham only departing from New Orleans in early June, it's very safe to assume he knew how much the Pelicans wanted Derik Queen in the 2025 NBA Draft. So after Joe Dumars made the selection of Jeremiah Fears at No. 7, Graham likely helped the Hawks fleece New Orleans with his insight on Dumars' love for Queen. This speculation isn't just mine, as Zach Lowe believes Graham knew who the Pelicans wanted and made their front office pay top dollar for him.
Typically, when trading up 10 spots, as the Pelicans did by moving from pick No. 23 to pick No. 13, the additional asset attached is more often than not an additional first-round pick. What becomes troubling for the Pelicans is the value of the pick they attached to move up. This pick is an unprotected one and is a swap between the Pels and the Bucks.
Somehow Grahams departure gets worse following the 2025 NBA Draft
One thing was clear about Bryson Graham and his time with the Pelicans: he was an advocate for defensive versatility and three-point shooting. He was given tons of credit for New Orleans drafting Trey Murphy in the mid-first round at pick No. 17 and getting Herb Jones in the second round at 35. Both of these guys fit the defensive versatility and three-point shooting boxes, yet both of these boxes were left unchecked in the Pelicans' first draft in 14 years without him.
Not only is Graham punishing the Pelicans by helping the Hawks get one of the most valuable trade chips in the league with that 2026 unprotected pick swap. But he is also missed in their war room on draft night. While the selections of Queen and Fears aren't necessarily bad, as they both show promise, they don't address the team's immediate needs. This is particularly concerning as New Orleans is now under significant pressure to make the playoffs, given that they don't own their first-round pick next season.
Graham and the Hawks also delivered a gut punch to the Pelicans by drafting Asa Newell with the 23rd overall pick. Someone who fits Graham's MO as a highly versatile defender and would've been a perfect fit alongside the Pelicans' current roster.
While there's no concrete evidence suggesting Bryson Graham was the reason the Pelicans had to give up so much to get pick Derik Queen at pick 13. It's tough not to speculate that he had some involvement because of his ties to the Pelican organization.