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New Orleans Pelicans: 5 Potential Ryan Anderson Trade Destinations

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (33) gestures in the second half of their game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (33) gestures in the second half of their game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 20, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (33) dribbles the ball past Washington Wizards forward Drew Gooden (90) during the first half at Baltimore Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Washington Wizards

For a team that’s in a rut like the Washington Wizards, adding a three-point weapon to space the floor like Anderson could rapidly alleviate their offensive problems and snap them back into playoff form.

Trading Jared Dudley, when he’s been one of the team’s more versatile and useful perimeter threats, may seem counter-intuitive, but Dudley’s veteran presence and basic scoring output (7.7 points per game) has failed to live up to what Paul Pierce brought to the table last year.

Something needs to change, and if it takes Dudley and his 47.0 three-point shooting (on 2.9 attempts per game, compared to Anderson’s 5.4 per game) to get a deal done, the Wizards would probably have to pull the trigger.

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    • With the Wiz looking to make a deeper playoff run and then try to seduce Kevin Durant in free agency this summer, an unrestricted free agent like Anderson offers the best of both worlds. Washington could make its playoff run, and if the Wizards failed to sign Durant, Anderson might still be around as a consolation prize.

    From the Pelicans’ perspective, adding a defensive wing like Dudley — a guy who can also log some time as a small-ball 4 — would not only provide New Orleans with perimeter shooting to make up for Anderson’s departure, but would also strengthen the small forward spot, which has been the team’s weakest position.

    New Orleans needs a defensive veteran on the wing, and though Dudley is an unrestricted free agent this summer, he’d be nowhere near as expensive to re-sign as Anderson.

    Including rookie Kelly Oubre in a deal would sting a little bit for Washington, but Oubre has rarely seen action this season (seven DNP-CDs through 25 games) and is considered more of a long-term project. With the Pelicans looking to rebuild, a rookie contract like that might be more valuable and would give Anthony Davis another high-upside youngster to grow with.

    However, if Dudley and a young player with upside like Oubre were too large a ransom for the Wizards to surrender, perhaps a Kris Humphries and Oubre package would be enough?

    Humphries is nowhere near the two-way player and steady presence that Jared Dudley is, but he’s expanded his range out to three-point territory for the first time in his career (32.7 percent), he’s a solid rebounder (4.6 in 18.2 minutes per game) and he’s on a non-guaranteed contract through the 2016-17 season.

    If Oubre is too much for the Wiz to give up, Gary Neal could serve as an additional trade chip who would bring ball handling and scoring to New Orleans’ guard spot. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer, but Washington could probably re-sign him for a manageable price if need be.

    Next: No. 3