If you love basketball, there’s nothing more exciting than the NBA Playoffs. It’s the best time of the year. The stakes are raised – each team is fighting for their lives. Last year, Sacramento Kings fans finally got a taste of it.
Prior to last season, the Kings missed the playoffs for 16 straight seasons. That was an NBA record. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Kings have plenty of fans who were experiencing the first playoff run of their lives. Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
By contrast, the New Orleans Pelicans have seen playoff action recently. Still, this organization has never made a deep run. Next season, they’ll likely be looking to change that. Could sending CJ McCollum to the Kings help them do so?
The Trade Proposal
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F Harrison Barnes, G/F Kevin Huerter
Sacramento Kings Receive: G CJ McCollum
With that said, the regular season counts as well. Sure, it’s a precursor to the playoffs. The regular season is played to determine playoff seeding. Yet, at the same time, it’s more than that. Just ask a fan of a rebuilding team.
They’re forced to find reasons to invest in their squad. They live for the best game a rookie has had so far. It’s not the same as the playoffs, but it’s still exciting for diehard fans. Perhaps that’s why Adam Silver has endeavored to make the regular season count for more. This season, we’ll see the introduction of an in-season tournament.
NBA NEWS, TRADES & RUMORS: CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans & Sacramento Kings Updates
Will it drive engagement? In all likelihood, yes. Still, nothing will replace the playoffs. Meanwhile, both of these teams will be operating with the postseason in mind. Could the Pelicans improve by moving McCollum?
Why The New Orleans Pelicans Do The Deal
Arguably, the question is misleading. The Pelicans’ primary motive here isn’t to improve in the short term. More than anything, they’re getting off of McCollum’s contract. He’s aging, and he’s something of a defensive liability. New Orleans may prefer financial freedom over keeping him on the roster.
With that said, the Pelicans can’t afford to tank their season. They’ve got too much talent to be content with missing the playoffs again. This deal won’t force them to do so. McCollum may be the best player in this trade, but the Pels are still landing two quality rotation players here. The return is highlighted by Huerter. He’s a young 3-and-D guard with plus positional size that allows him to slide up to the 3 spot.
NBA NEWS, TRADES & RUMORS: CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans & Sacramento Kings Updates
Sure, the Pelicans will lose some ball-handling in their backcourt. Luckily, they’ve got plenty of that in the front court. In an offense that’s built around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, Huerter and Barnes may actually be more complimentary players than McCollum. Should the Kings be interested in him?
Why The Sacramento Kings Do The Deal
Barnes and Huerter may be solid rotation pieces. At the same time, the Kings may not need him. Barnes is distinctly expendable to this group. After all, Keegan Murray is strikingly similar, and in all likelihood, he’ll be a more impactful player next season. Murray is on the rise, and Barnes is on the decline.
Meanwhile, Malik Monk allows Sacramento to part with Huerter. They can afford McCollum: but that doesn’t mean that they should want him. We just said that McCollum was a poor defender. That was an issue for Sacramento last year – is this a good fit?
NBA NEWS, TRADES & RUMORS: CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans & Sacramento Kings Updates
We think so. McCollum is still an elite shooter off the catch and dribble. He’s developed as a playmaker in recent years as well. He’s the most dynamic offensive player in this deal. If the Kings acquire him, they’ll be leaning into their identity as an offense-first team. That might be a recipe to have them playing playoff basketball for more than just one round next season.
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