Nearly 2 years after Anthony Davis won the championship, the Pelicans still haven't made the playoffs. Currently, the Pelicans are 11th in the West End with 19 wins and 32 losses. For the playoffs, the Pelicans want to fight to the death. According to Brian Venhorst, the Pelicans will be very active before the trade deadline and target McCollum, Fox and Eric Gordon.
So far this season, Zion has not played due to injury, Ingram is also playing a stop, and the Pelicans are also very difficult to take every step. Their hopes of reaching the playoffs have not been dashed, but they are difficult. And since sending Davis to Zion in 2019, the Pelicans have still not been able to make it to the playoffs. The last time the Pelicans made the playoffs was in the 2017-18 season.
Undoubtedly, the Pelicans must strengthen the backcourt if they want to get one step closer, which is also the "sequelae" of the Pelicans' recent successive losses of Ju-Holliday and Lonzo Ball, and Graham, Satoransky and Nikiel-Alexander Walker are embarrassing. And the Pelicans up front, Ingram, Zion and Valanciunas can all play. If a good defender joins the attack, the Pelicans' take-off may be in the near future.
The Pelicans have targeted McCollum, Fox and Gordon. McCollum has been embroiled in trade rumors for a long time, after suffering from pneumothorax and missing 18 consecutive games before returning recently. His three-year, $100 million contract expires in 2024 and earns $33.33 million a year next season.
Fox played 20+3+5 in three consecutive games, but he was unable to lead the Kings to the playoffs and failed to be selected as an All-Star. And his 5-year, 163 million contract expires in 2026 and earns 30.35 million a year next season; Gordon is a pelican veteran, his 4-year 75.6 million contract expires in 2024, and his annual salary next season is 19.57 million.
Where there is in, there must be out. The Pelicans are reportedly peddling Josh Hart around. In the 2021 offseason, the Pelicans just signed a three-year, 37.2 million contract with Hart, which expires in 2024 and will earn $12.96 million next season but is not guaranteed. According to Hoopshype reporter Michael Scotto, the Pelicans would like to send away Alexander Walker, Hart and Jackson Hayes if the right opportunity is available.
Can the Pelicans do what they want? See. (Supine Braces/Hairy)