The New Orleans Pelicans put the finishing touches on their complete transformation at the trade deadline, shipping out a package headlined by Malik Monk for a return centered on Tyrese Maxey in the first deal, and moving Mohamed Bamba for three Portland picks - including two first rounders, and the expiring contracts of Devonte Graham and Jestor’s old fan favorite Cheick Diallo.
It’s the second half of a set of four trades that had a complete 180 effect on the franchise, turning it firmly on the rebuilding path and making the financial situation completely unrecognizable from when the veteran GM first set foot in the Big Easy. I’ve copied below the essential in/out when you combine all four deals and their pieces:
First, the finances. When the GM came aboard, the Pelicans were well in excess of the luxury tax and staring down hard cap difficulties this upcoming offseason - a task further magnified when Monk was added, putting New Orleans a literal eyelash blink away from breaking $90 million this season.Frank N
Lauri
Bamba
Fred VanFleet
Nick Weiler-Babb
for
Tyrese Maxey
Andrew Wiggins
Darko Bajo
Devonte Graham ($13.62 million expiring)
Deyonta Davis ($10 million expiring)
Cheick Diallo ($6.5 million expiring)
Santi Aldama
Zach Collins
THT
Portland 32 1st
Portland 34 1st
Portland 33 2nd
$11 million cap shaving this year
And then the Orlando Magic came calling, offering essentially their space and a late 1st to acquire Mr. Pelican. “A lot of people slept on what that trade meant to us,” a friend who works for the team told me. “In one fell swoop, we stepped back from the hard cap and had $10 million in expiring money. Suddenly, we no longer *had* to make a move to address our financial health. In terms of biggest impact on our balance sheet, nothing else comes close. This is what gave us the freedom to do everything else.”
Including shredding more current season obligations in the Monk-Maxey deal, and then adding $2 million in current year commitments in the Bamba trade. All told, the Pelicans now have $30 million coming off their books when those three players are renounced, and they’ll be in the neighborhood of $15 million in cap space - around the area of an RFA max. “Don’t look for us to necessarily go chasing an RFA,” said my friend. “We’re still very much in the early stages of the rebuild, and we’re looking at following the Memphis blueprint of find the bargains, flip the bargains for assets.”
From hard cap hell to FA player heaven in just four moves and a half-season.
As for the pick situation, they’re right back where they started before Monk-Maxey with an early-mid 20s projected first rounder this year, with an added 2034 1st (presumed late) and a late 2033 2nd. Not the most thrilling return, to be sure, but it’s the best that could be gotten from the current market, and they’re still assets in the arsenal that didn’t exist before.
Looking towards the future, expect none of these guys except Maxey to have a long stay in New Orleans, though there’s some younger players the front office wouldn’t mind keeping if the price is right. Collins in particular will almost certainly be turned over for another rebuilding asset - perhaps as soon as this offseason.
In regards to the breakout playoff star from last season as the 76ers advanced to the second round, the Pelicans brain trust has already been brainstorming how to sculpt Maxey’s shot selection and ball behavior to wring the most possible out of him. “We have a plan in place, and it starts from the moment he gets off the plane.”
This is also the moment when the fans finally get to see what the future looks like now, as the projected lineup is
PG Devontae Graham
SG Tyrese Maxey
SF Aaron Wiggins
PF Deyonta Davis
CE Wemby
6th Zach Collins (PF/CE)
“We weren’t tearing off wins before and we’re not going to get them now,” my friend said. “So now is the time to give Wemby all the developmental PT and work on building his and Tyrese’s chemistry.”
Unsettled and in need of further review is who takes over the reserve wing spots. Darko Bajo fits the mold of the tall wing this front office usually favors, Josh Jackson has drawn interest around the league, David Boston Jr. is raw with upside, and thrown-in Talen Horton-Tucker needs to be looked at more closely.
There’s still so much further to go, but 2 of the 5 starting spots appear to be set for the next decade. Patience and a long-range mindset will be needed, but for the first time in years, New Orleans has a clear, clean path forward.
2020, 2023, 2027, 2035
