How This Trade Impacts New Orleans Pelicans
Many people were interested to see how the New Orleans Pelicans would use the extra cap space they opened up this offseason. The team sacrificed draft capital, which they have plenty of, to get it done. However, the immediate results were certainly underwhelming.
Swapping Lonzo Ball out for Devonte’ Graham is undoubtedly disappointing, especially since it cost a future first-round pick to snag Graham. If Graham can shoot it at an elite percentage, it won’t be as bad since the Pelicans did need 3-point shooting, but he is a huge downgrade defensively from Ball.
If they used some of the available space to acquire someone such as Fred VanVleet, their offseason would be looked at in a much more positive light.
VanVleet is everything that the Pelicans are looking for as a third player behind Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. There isn’t a much better consolation prize from Kyle Lowry than the player he has shared the backcourt with the last three seasons.
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VanVleeet can be the lead playmaker, making things easier for Graham, Ingram, and Williamson offensively. He would help get them into their spots to succeed and score easy baskets. He can also fill it up himself, averaging a career-high 19.4 points per game last season, and has connected on 38.4 percent of his 3-point attempts in his career.
Defensively is where the Pelicans could use him. Replacing the defensive impact of Ball won’t be easy, but VanVleet could certainly provide a similar impact. That would take pressure off of Graham from having to defend opposing teams at the point of attack.
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Adding VanVleet into the starting lineup would give the Pelicans a formidable starting five. They would have a bit of a hole at the center spot, but moving Williamson there in situations with four shooters around him would be unstoppable offensively.
