Would this deal make sense for the New Orleans Pelicans?
New Orleans made some big moves this offseason already, moving on from the likes of Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams and Lonzo Ball and replacing them with guys like Devonte’ Graham, Jonas Valanciunas and rookie Trey Murphy III, but they still have a big decision to make with Josh Hart.
Seeing as Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall have looked great in Summer League, as well as the Pelicans having Nickeil Alexander-Walker at the shooting guard position, they really may not have a need for Josh Hart anymore and may not want to be tied down to him long-term. Now, they would not want to be tied down to a contract like Kevin Love’s whatsoever, but bringing in Love could make sense.
Right now, the Pelicans are a young roster with an average age of under 25-years-old, making them one of the younger teams in the league, but this is also a franchise that has playoff aspirations.
With Ingram and Zion, plus secondary talents like Valanciunas, Graham and others, the Pelicans definitely have a strong looking roster to possibly sneak into the playoffs out West, but they could really benefit from adding an experienced veteran like Love in their frontcourt.
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With Jaxson Hayes’ future looking unclear and the Pels not having any depth behind Zion Williamson, Kevin Love could come to New Orleans and immediately be utilized as a pick-and-roll big man who can knock down shots from the perimeter. Not to mention, he has always been a strong rebounder on the defensive-end of the floor, averaging 8.3 defensive rebounds per game over the course of his career.
Again, Love’s contract is not favorable, but they would only be paying him for two years, unless they moved him again, and they would also be getting a future first-round pick from this sign-and-trade that could end up being valuable. The Pelicans want to win immediately, but they seem to be missing that one extra piece in their frontcourt.
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He is not the All-Star big man he once was, but Kevin Love can still hold his own and prove to be somewhat useful in the Pelicans’ rotations. Moving Josh Hart for Love and a future first-round pick really is not that bad of a deal for New Orleans, which is why they should definitely strongly consider executing a sign-and-trade involving Hart going to the Cavs.
