The New Orleans Pelicans made one major splash this offseason, acquiring Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. The price tag was not cheap, as the Pelicans parted ways with several assets to get this deal done.
2022 Top 10 pick Dyson Daniels, veteran big men Larry Nance Jr. and Cody Zeller, and forward E.J. Liddell were traded to the Hawks. Atlanta also picked up a 2025 first round pick via the Los Angeles Lakers and one in 2027 as part of the deal.
A recent lottery pick and two first-rounders are a lot of pieces to part with. Some franchises would be left without moveable pieces after a deal of that magnitude, but not New Orleans.
Their front office has done a great job of stockpiling assets while improving the performance on the court. Over at Bleacher Report, Andy Bailey ranked how every team in the league stacks up when it comes to trade assets.
What constitutes a “draft asset” for the purpose of this exercise?
First-round picks were weighed heavily, as did some guesswork with player values. Bailey attempted to highlight only players who had a chance to be on the move ahead of the deadline in February, not every single player in the NBA.
With the parameters for the rankings set, all 30 teams were then ranked.
The Pelicans came in at No. 7 on the rankings. What Bailey likes about their current situation is the flexibility that has been created.
New Orleans wants to build around Zion Williamson and has identified Trey Murphy and Herb Jones as building blocks. Murray, presumably, is one as well.
Trade rumors have swirled around Brandon Ingram, who is arguably the best player readily available on the market around the league. A one-time All-Star who turns 27 in September, there is a lot to like about Ingram if he lands with the right fit.
CJ McCollum was another notable player listed.
Like Ingram, he could be turned into more future picks or younger players that fit the timeline alongside Williamson. Jordan Hawkins, a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft, could certainly be a sweetener in a deal as well.
Hawkins could be used similarly to how Daniels was to land Murray. The Pelicans’ stash of draft picks isn’t as strong as it was in past years with the last Lakers selection being sent to Atlanta. But, there is still a good amount of capital to work with.
New Orleans owns all but one of their picks between 2025 and 2031, with their 2027 first now owned by the Hawks. Even with taking the Stepien Rule into account, the Pelicans can include up to five first-round picks in a trade before needing to make swaps; two in 2025, one via the Milwaukee Bucks in 2027 and their own in 2029 and 2031.
Flexibility is key in the NBA, especially with the new CBA rules with hard caps and aprons.
New Orleans can go in several different directions to continue reshaping its roster around their star power forward.
