Why This Trade Makes Sense For The New Orleans Pelicans

With Eric Bledsoe and rookie Kira Lewis Jr. on the roster for New Orleans this year, they could end up trading Lonzo Ball as he is in the final year of his contract and has a high value on the open market. Acquiring two key role players in TJ McConnell and Doug McDermott could be huge for the Pelicans.

McConnell is not as good of a player as Lonzo Ball, but he is a “do-it-all” type of point guard in the sense that he can pass, rebound and occasionally score. Doug McDermott on the other hand is a pure scorer and could provide some much needed depth at both forward positions for the Pels. 

This season, McDermott is currently averaging 13.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and is shooting 36.1% from three-point range. He has taken advantage of his opportunities with TJ Warren and Caris LeVert sidelined, which has made him a very interesting trade target. 

Indiana loves the production both of these guys have given them over the years and throughout this season, which is why they could be key role players in the Pelicans efforts to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. As mentioned before, their bench is one of the worst in the NBA, which is why this trade makes a ton of sense for them. 

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram cannot carry this team on their own and if they somehow make the playoffs with the team they have now, they will get blasted in the first-round by the Los Angeles Lakers or the Utah Jazz. This team does not have the firepower yet to be a legit threat in the Western Conference, which is why they need to continue gaining assets and talent.

Acquiring TJ McConnell and Doug McDermott is a step in the right direction and could open the doors for New Orleans to make even more trades before the NBA trade deadline to bolster their overall talent on their roster.