With little time left and a lot of making up to do, the New Orleans Pelicans are dire need of a trade that can get them back on track and playoff-bound in 2019.
If there’s a time for the New Orleans Pelicans to hit the panic button, it’s now. Having gone 10-15 through December and January, the Pelicans currently find themselves under .500 and in the 12th spot in the Western Conference.
Despite only being four games out of the 8-seed, time is running out to fight their way back into the playoff picture. This will prove to be a tall task, though, as the team is set to be without the services of Anthony Davis until at least next week. The Pelicans, who are set to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets over the next week, can’t waste any time in getting him back on the court.
To make matters worse, it is no mystery what hinges upon New Orleans’ success this season. If Davis wants to play for a winning team with a chance to contend, this could be their last opportunity to show him he doesn’t need to look elsewhere. As they await the eventual outcome of supermax negations with their franchise player, it is imperative that Dell Demps and the Pelicans front office do everything in their power to give the team its best shot right now.
A big trade may not be enough to shift title odds for this season in their favor, but if the right deal can move the needle on Davis’ fate with the franchise, then they can’t afford to stand still. Here are three potential trades the New Orleans Pelicans should look to make prior to the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline on Feb. 7.