The Pelicans pulled off an impressive signing when they inked a two-year, $16 million contract with former Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin. Now, Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver must make a corresponding move to solve their roster crunch and luxury tax issue.
There are several options for who could go, but Jordan Hawkins seems like an obvious one. Trading Hawkins for something like a future second-round pick (or whatever you can get) could get the Pelicans back below the luxury tax and free up a needed roster spot for Mathurin.
There is always the possibility of a bigger deal coming together, perhaps something involving a player like Saddiq Bey, but my money is on Hawkins being the odd man out.
Jordan Hawkins hasn’t lived up to his potential
The Pelicans made Hawkins their first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, selecting him 14th overall. Hawkins was known for his shooting ability, but unfortunately, he never found consistency in his first three years in the NBA.
Hawkins has shown flashes of being a good scorer, but has never been able to keep it up for longer than a game or two. The former Connecticut Huskie is only 24 years old, so he still has time to live up to his potential. It just doesn’t seem like that will happen in a Pelicans uniform.
Mathurin’s arrival to New Orleans adds a scorer on the wing, giving new head coach Jamahl Mosley a lot of options for his rotation come game one. The newest Pelicans signing likely won’t start, with the shooting guard and small forward starting spots likely going to some combination of Herb Jones, Bey, and Trey Murphy III.
This leaves a very crowded bench on the wing for the Pelicans, with Jordan Poole, Bryce McGowens, Micha Peavy, Caleb Houstan and Trendon Watford also in the mix.
Finding minutes for Hawkins will be very difficult. Although given the Pelicans' injury woes over the last few years, you could argue that you can never have too many talented players.
The Pelicans need to do two things after signing Mathurin. They need to open up a roster spot and get back below the luxury tax. Trading Hawkins and his $7-plus million contract would solve both issues.
Of course, trading Hawkins hinges on another team being willing to trade with the Pelicans. While I don’t think there will be a lot of suitors out there, someone may be willing to take a flier on a former first-round pick. A change of scenery could go a long way for Hawkins.
Signing Mathurin gives the Pelicans another talented wing, but it also means the team will need to make a tough decision on one of their current players. The easiest move may just be trading away Jordan Hawkins.
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