The New Orleans Pelicans may be sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings but that doesn't mean the season is over. The team will still have to play 82 games just like the rest of the league, and there's still plenty of work to be done, even if their playoff chances have virtually hit zero.
This sentiment rings especially true for Executive Vice President David Griffin and the rest of the Pelicans' front office. Sure, their season was absolutely tanked by injuries this year, but the roster has plenty of problems even without the absences. This campaign should mark a huge turning point for the franchise, so New Orleans's brass would be wise to capitalize on this lost season by building out their squad for the future.
It was surmised that the Pelicans might make a midseason trade before the deadline this year in order to boost their title odds, likely by swapping Brandon Ingram for another star, sending him out for a slew of high-quality role players, adding bench depth, or addressing their shaky center rotation. With their current place in the standings, it would make zero sense for New Orleans to make a win-now deal for this season but that doesn't mean they can't be active in the trade markets at all. There's a trade out there that would give them another viable center for the future without compromising their prospective draft position.
The Pelicans should target the Charlotte Hornets' Nick Richards in a trade
The Pelicans won't be the only underwhelming team that becomes sellers at the trade deadline. There should be plenty of disappointing squads ready to dump their expendable parts in return for draft capital or young prospects. The Charlotte Hornets are looking like they'll be one of those teams.
Coming into the year, many believed that the Hornets could be dark-horse playoff threats due to their rising talent and the weakness of the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way for Charlotte. Even playing in the far inferior half of the NBA, the Hornets have managed to go just 6-15 through 21 games, currently entrenched in the 13th seed in the East.
They are only two games behind the Indiana Pacers for the 10th seed at this juncture, but it's clear that the Hornets aren't ready to compete yet. Instead of making a desperate playoff push that'll lead to nowhere, they'd be much better off pursuing a high draft pick to add to their young core, especially with a draft class that's expected to have multiple franchise cornerstones at the top.
Not only is Charlotte in a position to sell due to their record, but their roster also gives them flexibility to wheel and deal as they see fit before the deadline. The Hornets have a surplus of big men. Even after Grant Williams's season-ending injury, they still have 2022 15th-overall pick Mark Williams, third-year breakout candidate Moussa Diabate, former Kentucky Wildcat Nick Richards, and veteran journeyman Taj Gibson, all capable of manning the middle.
If there were to be an odd man out in that group, it'd have to be Nick Richards, who, at 27 years old, no longer possesses the lofty ceilings that Williams and Diabate feature but is still young enough to pique interest from other teams, unlike Taj Gibson. Richards is a throw-back, run-and-dunk big man who uses his size and athleticism to command the paint on both ends of the court. So far this season, he's averaged 12.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and an absurd 2.3 blocks per game while finishing 68 percent of his attempts.
He won't make many spectacular plays on either side of the ball, but he's a capable rim protector and can be counted on to finish lobs, dump-offs, and put-backs. He's a low-cost, high-floor veteran who'd be a perfect backup and mentor for Yves Missi. Trading for him likely wouldn't cost much and would be the exact sort of move that Griffin and company should be looking to make for the Pelicans this season.