How This Trade Impacts New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans have to start winning basketball games. The clock is already ticking on keeping Zion Williamson with the franchise long-term. David Griffin has to do whatever it takes to keep him happy with being a Pelican.
Trading away Brandon Ingram would certainly be a hard sell as the team is looking to improve. It would be different if they were acquiring an established star in exchange for Ingram, someone such as Damian Lillard for example. But, in this hypothetical package from the Atlanta Hawks, there isn’t an established star.
While there isn’t a current All-Star in the package, the Pelicans would be getting some high-upside young players in the deal. De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish would provide the Pelicans with a chance to build a strong foundation around Williamson.
New Orleans struggled mightily in two areas last season; defense and 3-point shooting. Hunter and Reddish both have the skills to become excellent two-way players. But, both players need to prove that they can stay healthy, as they each have missed extensive times at least once in their first two seasons in the NBA.
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Bogdan Bogdanovic would be an option to slide right into the starting lineup for the Pelicans. His floor spacing would play excellently alongside Williamson’s bruising dominance in the paint. Bogdanovic knocked down 43.8 percent of his 3-point attempts last season, making 3.3 per game en route to 16.4 points.
He is a bonafide scorer that would help take some pressure off of Williamson. The 2022 first-round pick gives New Orleans another asset as well.
They would have excellent draft capital over the next few seasons. It would give them some options for how they would want to build the roster going forward, as they could select prospects to upgrade the team.
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Or, they could create a strong trade package for a superstar player that may be disgruntled and want to leave his current situation. With all of the draft picks and young players they have, New Orleans would have the ammunition to make a competitive offer.
