The New Orleans Pelicans want to move up in the 2023 NBA Draft to select Scoot Henderson, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
The Pelicans currently have the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The San Antonio Spurs have the first overall pick and will select Victor Wembanyama. The Charlotte Hornets have the second pick, while the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons round out the top five.
Henderson is “very interested” in being drafted second overall by the Hornets, sources tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The point guard grew up in Marietta, Georgia, so playing for the Hornets would allow him to remain close to his hometown.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Scoot Henderson, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers & Charlotte Hornets Updates
The Pelicans missed the playoffs this year after making it in 2022. The team lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Oklahoma City Thunder at home. All-Star Zion Williamson only played in 29 games this season due to an injury. The lefty has appeared in just 114 NBA games since being drafted by the Pelicans with the first overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Duke.
Williamson wasn’t the only player dealing with injuries this season in New Orleans, as small forward Brandon Ingram played in just 45 games.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Scoot Henderson, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers & Charlotte Hornets Updates
According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, Williamson’s relationship with New Orleans vice president of player care Adrian Nelson became strained during his rookie season and the Duke product refused to work with Nelson sometimes.
“Williamson’s relationship with Nelson became strained during his rookie season,” Clark wrote. “At different points, Williamson refused to work with him. It was a rocky first few months for Nelson, whose arrival to the Pelicans was trumpeted with a glowing 1,800-word profile on their team website.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Scoot Henderson, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers & Charlotte Hornets Updates
Clark also reported that Ingram’s inability to play through minor discomfort has frustrated some of his teammates.
“Ingram has sometimes seemed unwilling to play through minor discomfort, to the point where some of his teammates have become frustrated with him over the past two years,” Clark wrote. “The Pelicans thought they had solved their player care and performance problem by hiring Nelson. Four years later, Nelson’s time in charge of the department is over.”
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