NBA Trade Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline, will look to strengthen the guard position
The New Orleans Pelicans are looking to be aggressive at this season's NBA trade deadline as they hope to turn around their tumultuous campaign. They currently occupy 11th place in the Western Conference, with 19 wins and 32 losses.
In Thursday’s episode of NBA Today, which was posted on ESPN’s YouTube channel, Brian Windhorst joined in on a conversation about the NBA trade deadline. The deadline is set for 3 PM ET on Thursday, February 10.
When asked about the team he believes will be the most active at the NBA trade deadline, Windhorst said:
"New Orleans Pelicans have been really aggressive trying to add a guard or a perimeter scorer."
Windhorst then revealed which players the Pelicans are possibly interested in. He outlined:
"They’re out there talking to the Trailblazers about CJ McCollum, talking to the Kings about De'Aaron Fox, talking to the Rockets about Eric Gordon, they are offering Josh Hart and various draft picks. They are a team that is probably trying to do something relatively soon."
The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly views CJ McCollum as the ‘ideal veteran scorer and leader’ to play alongside Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, per @EricPincus https://t.co/AUhfhl0gxs
The New Orleans Pelicans' options at the NBA trade deadline this season
The New Orleans Pelicans have a number of potential trade targets right now. They have been linked with former player and current Houston Rockets star Eric Gordon, Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum and Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox.
The Houston Rockets have been rumored to be seeking a first-round pick for Eric Gordon. The 33-year-old is averaging 14.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game this season.
The Portland Trail Blazers look poised to make a trade for CJ McCollum if they receive a big man back. The Trail Blazers are believed to be looking for a center replacement for Jusuf Nurkic, so one can assume they are eyeing Jonas Valanciunas. This puts the New Orleans Pelicans in a tough position as Valanciunas currently fills the spot of an injured Zion Williamson.
Windhorst also stated that the Pelicans were supposed to provide an update on the 21-year-old's injury but are yet to do so.
Pelicans coach Willie Green on Zion Williamson: “There’s been communication with him, but right now, there’s no further update. He’s just gotta get healthy and we’ll see where he is here shortly.”
Williamson fractured his right foot during the offseason and underwent surgery to repair the injury. It is understood that he injured himself prior to the 2021 NBA Summer League.
On December 16th, 2021, the New Orleans Pelicans announced that Williamson received a biologic injection on his fracture site to stimulate healing. As a result, his activities were limited. He was supposed to be re-evaluated in mid-to-late January.
De’Aaron Fox would arguably be the hardest player to obtain for the New Orleans Pelicans. The 24-year-old is in the first season of his five-year contract (worth $163 million) with the Sacramento Kings. He just signed the contract last November. He currently leads the Kings in scoring, averaging 21.0 points per game.
Trailing the Portland Trail Blazers by 1.5 games for the final spot in the play-in tournament, the New Orleans Pelicans will need to make a change somehow. They have managed to lose 11 of their past 18 games and can't seem to develop any momentum. Hopefully, the franchise can make the moves they need in order to make it to the playoffs.