There's no doubt that there has been an intriguing trade rumor in the NBA recently involving a three-way trade between the Rockets, Pelicans, and Wizards. According to NBA Analysis**, the three teams are in talks about a big deal that could change each other's rosters.
First, the Rockets intend to send Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale, as well as a 2024 Warriors second-round pick and a 2027 Grizzlies second-round pick to acquire Jonas Valanciunas. The Pelicans then traded Jonas Valanciunas and Herbert Jones to the Wizards for Tyus Jones and Daniel Gafford for them. Finally, the Wizards sent Tyus Jones and Daniel Gafford to the Pelicans in exchange for Herbert Jones, Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale, as well as two future second-round picks.
The Pelicans are one of the most high-profile teams in this trade package. Although the Pelicans suffered a losing streak when they were fully healthy, they still firmly held the eighth spot in the West. However, the Pelicans' performance on the court has not raised confidence in whether they can challenge for a championship. In this regard, many people have doubts about head coach Willie Green's coaching ability. Lowe even quipped that Willie Green still hasn't been sure how to schedule his players' playing time or how to improve his team's record.
There are also some issues with the Pelicans' roster structure. Especially in the number one and number five positions, they lack the right players. Valanciunas is slow in the centre-forward position and is an easy target for the opposition's attack. McCollum, on the other hand, is only a temporary guest point guard, and his area of expertise is scoring rather than playmaking. In addition, the Pelicans have assembled a number of talented players at the forward and shooting guard positions. However, with the exception of Zion and Ingram, the other players have limited playing time, which is a waste of their personal development and the improvement of the team's overall strength.
So, with those issues in mind, the Pelicans drafted a trade that they hoped would do by sending away Herbert Jones and Valanciunas in exchange for Tyus Jones and Gafford in exchange. In doing so, the Pelicans will get a traditional No. 1 player, Tyus Jones, while Gafford will be more cost-effective and defensive than Valanciunas, who is about to expire on his contract.
This trade is undoubtedly worth trying for the Pelicans, as it can address some of the shortcomings on the roster and better exploit the potential of young players. In any case, for the Pelicans, they need to find a more perfect roster structure if they are to become a truly strong team.