4 Remaining Free Agents Pelicans Should Target

The NBA free agency is in full swing, but the New Orleans Pelicans have been frustratingly quiet so far. Other than bringing DeAndre Jordan back on a minimum deal, the Pelicans have yet to make a move. Even though they desperately need to acquire a center, Joe Dumars & Troy Weaver have been watching the available big men get off the market.

There are still a few capable centers left on the market. The Pelicans have a little less than $10 million in cap space to sign one. They could open up more room by moving on from one of their guaranteed contracts, with Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, and Yves Missi as potential avenues to do so. Regardless of how they do it, the Pelicans are running out of time to add quality and depth to their center rotation. Here are four options they must consider.

Mitch Robinson

The 28-year-old center who just won a title with the Knicks is the best big man left in free agency. He could be out of the Pelicans' price range, but New Orleans has to do whatever it takes to create enough space to sign Robinson.

Robinson's offensive fit is not great in New Orleans as he doesn't provide much spacing, but his rim running and offensive rebounding will certainly come in handy. Where he will make a big difference, however, is on the defensive side of the ball.

Derik Queen and Zion Williamson need a defensive anchor to cover up their mess on that end of the floor. Robinson is one of the best rebounders in the league and can protect the rim. He has the size and physicality that the rest of the Pelicans' roster lacks.

Nikola Vucevic

The 35-year-old center poses a different challenge than Robinson. He is a huge defensive liability, but his offensive fit is undeniable. He can shoot, pass, and space the floor, making things easier for the Pelicans' non-shooters.

Defensively, the Vucevic-Williamson or Vucevic-Queen pairing will be highly flammable. Yet, the Pelicans don't have too many great options out there. If it's for a one-year, team-friendly deal, the Pels could do worse than Vucevic.

Mo Wagner

Wagner had a down campaign last season after coming off a one-year absence following his ACL tear. He had a limited role in Orlando behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze, but he is a competent big man, especially offensively.

The 29-year-old German can space the floor but can also play a very physical brand of basketball. He fights inside, gets a ton of rebounds, and is generally a difficult player to play against.

His fit is especially intriguing as he spent the last five seasons playing for Jamahl Mosley in Orlando. He embodies the intensity Mosley will try to institute in New Orleans and should fit the Pelicans' salary structure nicely going forward.

Andre Drummond

The 32-year-old center is an unrestricted free agent ahead of his 15th season in the NBA. He spent the last two seasons as the backup center in Philadelphia, providing solid rebounding and shot-blocking.

An intriguing part of Drummond's game since he joined the 76ers has been his nascent three-point shooting. He made 35.6% of his threes last season and was a threat from the corners, providing some floor spacing. His finishing around the rim and free-throw shooting are major weaknesses, but he is a decent backup.

Drummond wouldn't be the most inspiring free agent acquisition due to his age and low upside, so the Pelicans should think of him as more of a last resort option.

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