It truly is a shame that the New Orleans Pelicans and their fans won't ever really get to see this current iteration of the roster in a competitive setting. The team traded for All-Star guard Dejounte Murray at the top of the summer but saw him go down with a fractured left hand after just one game, a game in which Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson were inactive.
To this day, the Pelicans have yet to play a contest in which all of Murray, Murphy III, Zion, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones were available, although they have had a game in which all of those players were sidelined. December 15 is right around the corner. At that date, all of the players who signed on as free agents in the offseason become eligible for trade which significantly opens up the market.
Brandon Ingram has missed five games in a row due to a calf strain, but with the Pelicans' season essentially over and the trade market set to heat up soon, there's a chance that we've already seen his last game with New Orleans. ESPN's Shams Charania expects the trade talks surrounding Ingram to ramp up significantly between now and January. It's practically inevitable that Brandon Ingram will be traded this season, but he may not be the only player on the block for the Pelicans.
The Pelicans may have a fire sale before the trade deadline
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, executives around the league expect CJ McCollum to be available for the right price. Amid this disastrous season for the Pelicans, CJ's quietly been having a great year, averaging 21 points and three assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 34 percent from deep.
It's been surmised that the Pelicans may take the opportunity to turn this season into a gap year, purposefully parlaying their poor start to the campaign into as many losses as possible in pursuit of better draft odds. Part of accomplishing that goal would be selling off their win-now veterans. This would not only help them lose games, but it would also clear the ledger for New Orleans, making it easier for them to fill out their roster for the next era as well as give them more versatility to make any further moves they see fit.
At 33 years old, CJ would have to go to a contender who believes that his talents could take them over the hump. He's on a decent contract, with a $30 million figure that'll expire following the 2025-26 season. With New Orleans, CJ expanded his game to become a better playmaker and outside shooter, making him a more seamless fit alongside other ball-dominant stars. If he's actually shopped around this season, there should be plenty of suitors willing to put in a bid for his services.