Bleacher Report trade proposals shake up the Pelicans
By Matt Alquiza
Trade number two: CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, and a first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Trae Young
"The New Orleans Pelicans had three 20-plus point scorers in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, yet they finished only 11th in offensive efficiency. A lack of three-point volume was an issue, but so was the lack of a go-to shot-creator. Williamson, Ingram and McCollum are all capable of generating clean looks for others, but it isn't a go-to strength for any of them.
- Zack Buckley
Could that propel the Hawks to probe the Young sweepstakes? His numbers—specifically his 3.2 three-pointers (on 37.3 percent shooting) and 10.8 assists per game this season—would certainly give them reasons to look.
If dropped into McCollum's place, Young would give New Orleans more off-the-dribble pep and a huge step forward in passing. Defense could be an issue for that trio, but it already is for the Williamson-Ingram-McCollum troika, so maybe that wouldn't be a deal-breaker."
The thought of Zion Williamson running to the rim, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones running the wings, and Trae Young handling the ball in transition has me salivating. Buckley says it well, defense would be an issue, but a Trae Young and Zion Willimason pairing would create a Gen-Z Lob City in New Orleans.
New Orleans took their big swing at point guard when they made the move for CJ McCollum, and it seems like they whiffed. McCollum has been a solid addition in New Orleans, but he hasn't elevated the Pelicans to the heights they expected him to. Trae Young and Zion Williamson would be an electric duo, and combining those two with elite role players in Jones and Murphy III would make the Pelicans a fearsome squad in the West.