The New Orleans Pelicans finally earned their first win of the 2017 season last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. As expected Anthony Davis was asked to shoulder the load but this time he was able to rely on his teammates to make shots. However this likely won’t be a trend moving forward as the team is largely comprised of journeymen players looking to find their way in the NBA. Head coach Alvin Gentry would like his team to play a fast pace and shoot a lot of threes but he just does not have the right players to employ his system. Here are a few trade scenarios the Pelicans should consider to bolster their roster.
Tyreke Evans to Minnesota for Shabazz Muhammad
Throughout his tenure with the Pelicans Tyreke Evans has often been injured and inconsistent. I feel that he would best be used as a starting point guard or a sixth man. With Jrue Holiday slated to return soon and Evans on an expiring contract I think it would be a wise move for the Pelicans to move him. A team like the Minnesota Timberwolves could use a starting caliber point guard like Evans. Right now the Timberwolves are relying on Ricky Rubio, Tyus Jones, and rookie Kris Dunn. They could use a veteran guard like Evans to offer some versatility at the position. In exchange the Pelicans gain Shabazz Muhammad a talented swingman who can play the two or the three and still has tons of potential. I think this is a win-win for both teams.
Omer Asik to Indiana for Monta Ellis
If the Pelicans had Alvin Gentry as a coach why did they sign Omer Asik to a contract extension? While still an effective player, Asik is just not a good fit for the up tempo style of play Gentry wants to employ. That being said Asik could still help on the defensive end as a rim protector for many teams. A team that could use him is the Indiana Pacers who are currently playing the worst defense in the NBA. The Pacers would simply have to give up Monta Ellis who has been struggling this year. Maybe Asik can provide the Pacers with the kind of impact Ian Mahimi was able to give them last year. With Ellis the Pelicans gain an inconsistent scoring guard but perhaps Gentry can pump a few more good years out of him.
Build for the future
The Pelicans are clearly going nowhere this season but they should look to upgrade the roster in any way they can this season. Tyreke Evans is an unrestricted free agent next season and could leave them for nothing. If the Pelicans can acquire some good pieces and acquire a top pick in this coming draft they may be able to turn things around quicker than we thought.
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