New Orleans Pelicans Receive: 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 9 – SAS), 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 25 – SAS)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: 2022 First-Round Pick (No. 8 – NOP)
This simple consolidation trade poses an equally simple question: why the heck not?
The San Antonio Spurs actually hold three selections in the 2022 NBA Draft: they’re poised to pick at 9th, 20th, and 25th. Meanwhile, the Pelicans have a lone selection at 8th. Could these two teams decide they’d be better off with two a piece?
Realistically, the Spurs will only bother to make this deal if they see someone they’ve got to have, and fear the Pelicans will select otherwise. Dyson Daniels and Johnny Davis feel like two targets this organization could be high enough on to forfeit a pick for.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans will only play ball here if they’re a little more open-minded about the prospects in their range. They’ll have loftier immediate goals in 2022-23 than the Spurs, so they’ll be taking a different approach in the draft.
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If that approach involves a player they know will be available with the 9th pick, they may be interested in adding an extra prospect to their roster at the Spurs’ expense.
