The New Orleans Pelicans are approaching one of the most important offseasons in their franchise history this summer. After losing their entire 2024-25 NBA season due to injuries, they've been gifted with a chance at landing a top lottery pick for the 2025 draft, one that they could use to add a generational prospect like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, or Ace Bailey to an already established core teeming with high-end talent.
Hitting on that draft pick could make all the difference for an organization that hasn't been to the second round of the playoffs since 2018. It's not their only means to improve the roster though. New Orleans is also armed with plenty of tradable contracts that they could use to shake up their personnel. They could even include their highly valuable draft selection in a package to possibly acquire another star.
There are countless paths that they could take this offseason to improve the roster. What's important is that the front office remain aggressive and take advantage of any possible opportunities that may be presented to them. For example, the Pelicans have a unique chance this summer to land the perfect stretch five that they've needed next to Zion Williamson for years, and they need to do everything they can to try to get it done.
The Pelicans need to go all in on Naz Reid this offseason
Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line that Naz Reid is expected to decline his $15 million player option for next season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. This isn't exactly breaking news, considering that everybody and their mamas knew that $15 million was an absolute bargain for a player of Reid's impact and abilities.
The Wolves themselves anticipated this, which is partly why they made the blockbuster trade to send Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, a move that also gave them a bit more financial flexibility. Will it be enough though?
As of right now, Minnesota already has over $226 million committed on their books for next season, not counting Reid's $15 million option. That puts them over $70 million above the salary cap for next year, just $18 million under the first apron, and about $30 million below the daunted second apron. Keep in mind that the Wolves are already operating over the second apron this season and landing in the second apron again next year will invoke severe repeater penalties.
The good news for Minny is that there won't be many teams with money available this summer, including the Pelicans. However, Reid could still demand a deal that's much too rich for the Wolves and use his free agency as leverage. For example, he could threaten to sign a short-term contract with another team elsewhere and seek a larger, long-term contract later on.
If it comes to that, it'd behoove Minnesota to sign-and-trade him this summer instead of losing him for nothing in free agency. That's where the Pelicans could strike. New Orleans has plenty of contracts that could fit into whatever range that Reid might end up seeking this summer to match his salary. It also helps that the Pelicans' high salary contracts belong to useful players, like CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray, who could help a team like the Wolves make a playoff run. To sweeten the pot, New Orleans also has plenty of draft capital that they could include to convince Minnesota to pull the trigger.
Fischer also reported that the expectation is that Reid and the Wolves will come to an agreement on a new deal, but Minnesota's ledger doesn't look too good with Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert all on the books for next season for over $118 million combined. They should find it much easier to move Naz Reid and get something of value in return than trying to find a way to offload Randle or Gobert's contracts to make room for Reid's new deal. If Minnesota finds out that they can't afford to re-sign Reid, the Pelicans need to be there immediately to make an offer that the Wolves can't refuse.