Worst Trade Destination No. 2: New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are desperate for a star. They have one in place in Zion Williamson, but they need to take a swing for the fences and upgrade the roster around him.

With rumors swirling that his family does not want him in New Orleans, the franchise has to do everything they can to make him happy. Adding another big-time player next to him and winning some games should help do that.

While the Pelicans would love to have a player such as Damian Lillard on their roster, it is not an ideal landing spot for him. Yes, he and Williamson would make for a dynamic pairing, but the roster’s upside would certainly be limited.

To acquire Lillard, the Pelicans would assuredly have to part ways with Brandon Ingram. Ingram is only turning 24 this year and already has an All-Star appearance under his belt. In addition to him, New Orleans would likely have to surrender one of their high upside players such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and plenty of draft capital.

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While they do have a lot of draft picks stemming from the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades, they would have to surrender a lot of that to land Lillard.

Acquiring a star such as Lillard would do wonders for the organization, but for Lillard, it wouldn’t be an ideal situation. Competing for a playoff spot is something the Pelicans need, but Lillard should want to go to an organization that is closer to competing.