New Orleans Pelicans: 3 trades team should make before deadline

1. Mike Conley

Desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures. If the New Orleans Pelicans are looking to make a big move in the hopes to turn their season around, their division neighbor in the Memphis Grizzlies could have the answer.

With the news that Mike Conley is available for trade, this could be the best way for New Orleans to bring in a proven veteran who would fit perfectly into their style of play. Conley is averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 3-pointers and 1.3 steals in 33.6 minutes per game.

Though Elfrid Payton has been great for New Orleans this season, a backcourt of Conley and Jrue Holiday has incredible defensive potential and would be a tough matchup for any team in the playoffs. More importantly, this would allow the Pelicans to shift Payton down in the depth chart. Payton playing with the second unit could be a huge help for a Pelicans bench that has room to grow. Cutting back a reliance on Tim Frazier and Frank Jackson for meaningful minutes shouldn’t be underrated, as well.

Conley is an obvious fit for the Pelicans, but this trade would require sending out more than previous trades. Just to make the salary work, New Orleans would have to part ways with Nikola Mirotic, who has been a big part of the team since his arrival. However, the combination of Davis and Julius Randle has proven to be a more effective two-man tandem.

While Mirotic’s absence would be felt, it would still be quite the net gain, and the blow would be softened by adding Omri Casspi and JaMychal Green as well. Both players are viable floor-spacers, with Casspi shooting 34.9 percent from deep and Green shooting 39.1 percent. A little extra forward depth would be beneficial for New Orleans, and both players offer lineup versatility.

Committing to a trade for Conley brings back a lot of long-term money, but it may be the Pelicans’ best shot at getting as much talent on to the roster as possible.