Would this trade make sense for the New Orleans Pelicans?
This trade would signal the New Orleans Pelicans waving the white flag. They would be admitting that their current core of players isn’t good enough, and still won’t be good enough even when Williams makes his eventual return to the court.
Whether or not this is true, this is still a trade the Pelicans should seriously consider making. Having a guard as the secondary star next to Williamson makes more sense, and this deal would give them some added depth, too.
Collin Sexton is a great scorer, and if given the right opportunity, could thrive as a team’s second option. There were rumors of a rift growing between him and the Cleveland Cavaliers organization, so this would give him a chance to start anew in a different city.
As for Markkanen, his effectiveness in New Orleans would be heavily dependent on his three-point shot. He’s shown the ability to play the three during his time in Cleveland, and they’ve found ways to help him be effective on defense. But for him to thrive next to Williamson, he’d have to find his shot again, which he very much could do.
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The Pelicans wouldn’t be getting the same star power Ingram possesses in return, but if they were open to the idea of trading him, then this deal wouldn’t be the worst one out there. At the very least, it’d be shaking up a team that clearly isn’t working anyways.
