The Kevin Durant trade had the NBA world shook before game 7 of the NBA Finals even started. The Phoenix Suns traded two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks.
This jaw-dropping trade puts New Orleans in a terrible spot. The Rockets, with an average age of 25 during the 2024-25 season, had the fourth-best record in the NBA and a top-five defense. They have added the greatest scorer of all time, Kevin Durant, to an already stacked young core. Despite being 36, Durant is coming off a season where he appeared in 62 games and averaged 26.6 points per game.
The Rockets didn't have to give up any of their young assets or future picks to get Durant, which creates an issue for the Pelicans. Now, they don't only have to worry about the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have the best player in the world in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and just won an NBA Championship, but also a top-four team in the league that added Kevin Durant while keeping their young core intact.
It's also important to remember the Pelicans have to see Houston four times a season because they are both part of the Southwest Division. New Orleans got swept in their season series last year, and that's even less likely to change with KD in Houston. With the Western Conference already being as stacked as it is, with the 8th seed last season being a team that won 48 games, I think the Pelicans need to revisit the idea of rebuilding.
What blowing it up would mean
With as packed as the Western Conference continues to get, going full rebuild may be the only way. With two first-round picks at No. 7 and 23, the Pelicans have a great opportunity to add to foundational pieces in Wednesday's draft.
Having two first-round picks is already a great step in entering a rebuild, but it's not enough. The current state of the Pelicans' roster is good enough to compete in the West but likely not good enough for playoff success.
That's why instead of committing to mediocrity, they could look to move on from Zion Williamson. After the return, we saw Desmond Bane. The return for a former No. 1 overall pick who is a 2x time all-star at 24 could be even bigger.
Moving on from Zion could open the door to trading Herb Jones, CJ McCollum, and Dejounte Murray. I'm not saying the Pelicans should 100% blow it up, but after seeing KD get moved and OKC win it all, I don't see where the Pelicans fit in in the West. A full-scale rebuild is now more than ever something the Pelicans should consider.