The New Orleans Pelicans have a 23-35 record and are destined to miss the playoffs after a disappointing season. Injuries derailed the team’s hopes of continuing to grow after last year’s postseason appearance. Effort has been an issue at times, and the team also has a new head coach after firing Monty Williams last year. The only silver lining this season is that the team will have a high pick in this season’s NBA draft.
Although the Pelicans don’t have the worst record in the league, they will have around a four percent chance (depending on where the team finishes at the end of the season) of landing the No. 1 overall selection. There have been times when teams got lucky and found themselves with the top overall pick despite having lower odds.
Although trading the pick is tempting since it is so valuable, the Pelicans shouldn’t make any moves (unless it’s for Stephen Curry or another young superstar). Anthony Davis is going to be good for at least another 10 to 12 seasons, and the Pelicans need someone who can potentially grow into stardom and complement Davis for the long haul. The Pelicans don’t need to trade for several veteran pieces and still end up losing in the first or second round. They need someone who can help them be a championship contender.
The Denver Nuggets were in the spot the Pelicans will likely be in last season. The Nuggets ended with the 24th best record in the league and ended up selecting Emmanuel Mudiay with the No. 7 overall pick. Mudiay has been compared to John Wall, so if the Pelicans could get someone who has the potential to be at least as good as that, they would surely be championship contenders for years to come. Perhaps the team can get lucky and even manage to land Ben Simmons.
