Would this trade make senes for the New Orleans Pelicans?
As mentioned, this trade would see the New Orleans Pelicans make a shift. Instead of prioritizing winning right now with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, they would look to build for the future, taking a chance on a younger player.
Obviously, Talen Horton-Tucker is that player. Josh Hart isn’t old by any means, but at 21 years old, Horton-Tucker is a whole five years younger than Hart. This would give the Pelicans a chance to help mold him into the player a lot of Los Angeles Lakers fans hoped he would be.
Right now, Horton-Tucker is being forced to play a very specific role. When on a team with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, that’s unsurprising. In New Orleans, he would be given plenty of opportunities to learn by making mistakes, thus giving him a better chance to reach his full potential.
New Orleans would get some picks in this deal, true, which could help them add even more young talent to their roster. As for DeAndre Jordan, the Lakers would give the Pelicans a second for the Jordan-Willy Hernangomez swap, and New Orleans could simply waive him or buy him out.
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This trade would definitely be a risk. The New Orleans Pelicans know what they have in Hart, and Horton-Tucker still has room to grow as a player. But in the grand scheme of things, taking a chance on a younger player (while also adding even more picks to their arsenal) would be a smart move for New Orleans.
