Does this trade make sense for the New Orleans Pelicans?

The only reason the New Orleans Pelicans could wind up adding talent to their roster instead of “selling” it away is because they have played so well as of late.

Brandon Ingram has really elevated his play to carry this team and with them being just a few games back from the play-in tournament near midseason, now is the time for them to prioritize winning over building for the future. 

There really is no reason that the Pelicans should have their attention on building a core of the future right now simply because they have both Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. That is their future right there and all they need to do is start surrounding them with high-level contributors. 

Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte’ Graham have both filled these roles perfectly, but adding a third star like Jerami Grant and a key frontcourt talent to bring off-the-bench at full-strength like Kelly Olynyk could really open up this Pelicans rotation for the better. 

Josh Hart’s contributions have been huge for this organization and they just rewarded him with a long-term deal in the offseason, but he is the key to them getting better right now. 

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Both Satoransky and Hayes do not present a means to winning games this season for the Pelicans and a 2025 first-round pick from Milwaukee holds very little value to New Orleans right now, which is why this trade makes a ton of sense for them to make. 

Even if they do not get Kelly Olynyk, this deal still makes sense if they are to acquire Jerami Grant from Detroit.