2019-20 New Orleans Pelicans

2018-19: 33-49
Draft picks: 1,4,37,57

Word is the Pelicans have agreed to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the #4 pick and two future 1st round picks (2021 and 2023, I presume). I had already started this but this seems like a good place to re-start--for example, the Pels picked up a sizable trade exception in this deal that could be used before the 2020 draft.

Signed for next season ($82-ish m): Jrue Holiday, Solomon Hill, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, E'Twaun Moore, Josh Hart, Jahlil Okafor, Christian Wood, Frank Jackson, Kenrich Williams, Dairis Bertans
(I'm not exactly sure about that Cap total, it's sorta close to $82m, I reckon)
Could a Holiday trade be next up for the Pels? There are options: Knicks are always looking for a savior, how badly do the Pels want RJ Barrett (at #3) to go with Zion? Or it seems like the Pels and Celtics have been talking lately, seems like the Celtics could use a PG and they got money to spend...At any rate, the Pelicans for the next year are in youth movement mode--not exactly tanking but not expecting to a playoff run. In which case, Holiday's career would be bettered by going elsewhere and the Pelicans are better off riding Ingram, Lonzo, Hart, Frank Jackson and Zion and #4 for next season.
Is now finally the time to stretch and release Solomon Hill? Is he valuable to someone as a throw-in?
Julius Randle seems expendable to me--though I think he's a really underappreciated player!--feels like Zion is gonna get all his minutes next year. Though he's still on a favorable deal, I can see him getting moved this summer.
Ball and Hart will get their chances to play--especially if Holiday is moved.
Ingram is eligible to be re-signed right now, right? Do the Bird rights extend to the Pels after the trade? If so, they should probably go ahead and give him long term money now and just accept that Zion and Ingram (and Okafor?) is their future core.
It is probably time to move on from Moore. This is the last year of his deal, so he's a deal-stuffer or an expiring contract for someone right up to the trade deadline. Decent veteran off the bench, could be valuable for someone's playoff-push next season (Spurs or Pistons, maybe).
I always liked Wood but the way he's bounced around suggests that he is at best a practice player or a Summer League filler.
I liked Jackson and Williams last year, low cost high energy bench guys that could be real fan favorites.
There's another Bertans?


This summer's free agents: Julius Randle, (opted out), Stanley Johnson, Elfird Payton, Darius Miller, Ian Clark, Cheick Diallo, Trevon Bluiett
The Pelicans are not looking to win next year but building for the future suggests they could need a range of low-minute/low-cost guys off the bench. Randle saw himself getting replaced by #1 Zion and bolted, which may have happened anyway: his scoring numbers probably earned him a raise. Johnson and Payton are probably looking for more money or playing time to be on the Pelicans radar. Miller and Clark are nice long-term continuity guys who could be useful for limited minutes or perhaps they are easily replaceable (I can see Miller following Davis to the Lakers, actually). I'd keep Diallo, I thought he was promising enough to earn a 2 or 3 year low cost deal. I liked Bluiett in NCAA, didn't see him with the Pelicans this year.


Draft: Well #1 is gonna be Zion Williamson (Duke), you know it, I know it, the American people know it. And obviously he is the cornerstone of this team for the next 5 years. Now, personally I like Zion but I'm not as high as on him as most; he's a good player, an intriguing player, a watchable player, could be a real cornerstone kinda guy, has a lot of upside and is quite clearly the #1 pick in this draft. That said, I think people are overrating his abilities because of his freakish size. We've never seen anyone of his build move so well out there and, thus, we assume he's going to dominate the shit out of every situation. I don't see it. I think he's good and though his size makes him look unstoppable, basketball isn't necessarily about size and I think Zion will struggle his rookie year as all the vets line up to show him the smackdown (I'm already excited about seeing Chris Paul go up Zion, that'll be a show!). Another kooky irony: I think his game is gonna be like Julius Randle (except that Julius is left-handed), which isn't bad except that the Pels already have a Julius Randle-type (named Julius Randle)--or had one, I should say. So, while I like Zion and he is the obvious pick here, I don't think he re-invents basketball and I can see him struggling in his rookie year. (And greatest prospect of all time? Ohhh, not even close, probably on the edge of my top ten)

#4 pick: Well if RJ Barrett (Duke) is there, expect them to keep the Duke train rolling. Indeed, unless they lose their shit over Darius Garland (Vanderbilt), I wouldn't be super shocked if they drafted if they took Cam Reddish (Duke) at #4. I don't think the guys between 4 and 9 (roughly, Darius Garland (Vanderbilt), Cam Reddish (Duke), Coby White (North Carolina), Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga), DeAndre Hunter (Virginia), Jarret Culver (Texas Tech)) are wildly ahead of the others, so taking Reddish at #4 doesn't seem crazy to me, he was one of the top prospects just a year ago.

The only 2nd round-graded guy that I really liked in NCAA was Carsen Edwards (Purdue) who I think will probably be gone by #37, but if he's there, I suggest the Pelicans jump all over him. As it is #37 and #57 could bring guys like Jalen McDaniels (San Diego State) or Johntay Porter (Missouri).


Next year's lineup (I'm assuming Holiday, Hill and Randle will all be gone): PG Lonzo, SG Ingram, SF Reddish, PF Zion, C Okafor with Jackson, Hart, Williams, Moore, Diallo off the bench; they'll have a trade exception from the Davis trade and plenty of chips to move, so this bench should probably be wildly different by October. Fun lineup, looks like they'll be a running team, don't see them winning much but I'll be watching the shit out of 'em on League Pass.