Celtics' Shocking Elimination Could Lead Intriguing Free Agent to Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans could take advantage of Boston's disappointing first-round exit.

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The first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs had its fair share of twists and turns. Several favorites that entered the postseason with title ambitions were unexpectedly eliminated early. The most shocking of these losses was arguably the Boston Celtics squandering a 3-1 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. This loss will likely lead to a few changes in the personnel, which could be of benefit to the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency.

Perhaps the biggest reason for Boston's loss was its center rotation. Especially once Joel Embiid returned, the trio of Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and Nikola Vucevic wasn't able to deal with the former MVP. Queta couldn't stay out of foul trouble, and Garza and Vucevic are not good enough defensively at the playoff level.

Nikola Vucevic's Playoff Struggles Shouldn't Deter Pelicans From Pursuing Him in FA

This will certainly be an area the Celtics address this offseason. This means that Vucevic, who is entering free agency, is very unlikely to be brought back, especially since he was a healthy scratch in Game 7.

A title contender's healthy scratch could be a rebuilding team's treasure. The Vucevic experiment didn't work out in Boston, but the veteran center would be an intriguing addition in New Orleans.

At this point, it has been proven that the 35-year-old center is not a playoff player. He is not strong enough to guard centers one-on-one and not athletic enough to defend on the perimeter. He also doesn't have the size and length to be a deterrent at the rim. So, he will certainly not solve the Pelicans' defensive struggles.

Where he can help, however, is on offense. He is the type of stretch five that Zion Williamson has needed his entire career, but never had a chance to play next to. Vucevic is a good offensive center thanks to his ability to shoot, pass, and punish smaller players in the post. He has shot 38.7% from three on 4.3 attempts per game in the last two seasons. He will always get guarded beyond the arc, opening up driving lanes for Williamson and Derik Queen.

Plus, Vucevic is a good rebounder. The Pelicans desperately need to get better at rebounding the ball. Williamson and Queen are awful rebounders for their positions, meaning that the Pels need solid rebounders everywhere else in the rotation. Vucevic is not a physically dominant player, but has always been a high-end rebounder.

The best part is that the Pelicans don't need to break the bank to sign Vucevic. Once they turn down Kevon Looney's team option, the Pelicans should have access to the partial non-taxpayer midlevel exception. This will allow them to spend over $10 million in free agency, but signing Vuc wouldn't even require that much. A little over the veteran's minimum and the promise of a big role in the rotation should be enough to lure him to New Orleans, especially given that he has fallen out of favor in Boston.