Pelicans Trade Deadline Big Board: 4 Rumored Targets Ranked by Fit, Cost, and Urgency

The New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely to be buyers at the deadline, but let's take a deep dive into players rumored to be trade targets.

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The New Orleans Pelicans have been signaling their desire to stand pat at the deadline. All the reporting out of New Orleans suggests that the Pelicans have little interest in selling off their valuable veterans despite being in last place in the Western Conference.

Smaller moves involving Yves Missi and Jose Alvarado remain possibilities, but nothing should be ruled out between now and February 5. A team can easily bowl the Pelicans over with a massive offer for Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, or Zion Williamson, which can entirely change the calculation.

While we know a lot about the interest of other teams in the Pelicans' starters, we know very little about who the front office in New Orleans is interested in. There have been a few rumors about potential trade targets for Joe Dumars & Co., but confirmed reporting has been few and far between. Let's still take a look at all the players who have been connected to the Pelicans so far and rank them based on how much it makes sense for the Pelicans to chase.

Ben Mathurin

The Indiana Pacers are reportedly interested in trading for Yves Missi. They desperately need a long-term center, and Missi makes a ton of sense as a cost-controlled, young option with upside. The Pelicans, however, have to be hesitant to move on from the 21-year-old big man who has begun to come along in recent weeks.

The only way the Pelicans should seriously consider moving on from Missi is if they can get another high-upside player in return. Enter Bennedict Mathurin.

Mathurin is expected to be available on the trade market and has been connected to the Pelicans already. The 23-year-old will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Pacers may find it hard to re-sign him considering their financial obligations elsewhere on the roster. New Orleans, on the other hand, needs more wings. Mathurin is a good scorer who can get to the rim and the free-throw line at will. Other aspects of his game need improvement, but he has plenty of offensive talent to be worth investing in.

Jaden Ivey

Similar to Mathurin, Ivey is a high-upside young player who doesn't have much of a future in the team that drafted him. The Pistons took a massive leap forward when Ivey was sidelined with an injury, and the 23-year-old combo guard has found it hard to carve out a big role for himself upon his return. He has been limited to 15-20 minutes per game and is now lower on the totem pole in Detroit.

When he hits restricted free agency in the offseason, the Pistons will likely not be able to match the offer sheets. Therefore, they should be interested in getting assets in return rather than losing him for nothing.

The Pistons are reportedly interested in Herb Jones. If the Pelicans can get Ivey and a first-round pick in return for Jones, they should pounce on that opportunity. New Orleans needs to add as much young talent as possible, and Ivey is a worthy flyer to take.

Ja Morant

The Morant-to-Pelicans buzz has died down over the last week, as signs are pointing towards the polarizing guard staying in Memphis past the trade deadline. Yet, plenty can happen between now and February 5. Since Morant seemingly doesn't have too many suitors, the Pelicans won't have much competition if they were to make a strong offer for the athletic guard.

Trading for Morant would be a bet on talent and upside, but it carries significant risks. He is due $87 million over the next two seasons, is once again on track to miss more than half the games in a season, and is in the midst of the worst season of his career.

The Pelicans' desire for relevance and hope is understandable, but they can't afford to take the risk of being stuck with Morant's contract for the next two seasons. The idea of trading one of Jordan Poole or Dejounte Murray's contract into Morant seems appealing, but the Grizzlies likely won't accept such a deal unless draft capital or a young player of intrigue is involved. At that point, the Pelicans need to walk away from negotiations.

Guerschon Yabusele

The New York Knicks are reportedly engaged in trade talks with the Pelicans that have Yabusele going to New Orleans. This likely means that Jose Alvarado would be headed to his hometown Knicks. While the Pelicans should be listening to offers on Alvarado to add more draft capital, acquiring Yabusele makes little sense.

Yabusele could be a good fit next to Derik Queen or Zion Williamson as a versatile, defensive big man, but his contract complicates matters. He has a player option for $5.7 million next season. Considering that the Pelicans already have a slew of negative contracts on their books for next season, including Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray's combined $67 million, they don't need to add another veteran who will not play up to his salary.

The French big man can guard multiple positions, provide revounding and interior presence, and hit enough shots, but he is 30 years old and isn't going to be in the long-term plans in New Orleans. The Pelicans should only consider bringing him in if they can get compensated with multiple second-round picks in the process.