Ideal Pelicans Fit at Center Is Now More Likely to Be Available in Free Agency

The New Orleans Pelicans need more depth and quality at center, but don't really have the resources to acquire true difference-makers in the offseason. Without a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft or true cap space this summer, the Pelicans either have to be aggressive in the trade market or go for low-cost options in free agency.

Where they are as a franchise, it would be ill-advised for the Pelicans to give up future assets in a win-now trade to add a center. This means that a more likely scenario is to sign a budget center on the open market.

Nikola Vucevic is one of those options. The veteran center is an unrestricted free agent this summer after his brief stint with the Boston Celtics. NBA insider Marc Stein just reported that Vucevic "is increasingly regarded as a certainty to switch teams" in the offseason. The Celtics' reported unwillingness to re-sign Vucevic could present an opportunity for the Pelicans.

Pelicans Could Do Worse Than Nikola Vucevic in Free Agency

Pelicans fans would be right to be underwhelmed with Vucevic as an option. He will turn 36 before the season, and he was a huge defensive liability even in his prime. At this stage of his career, his defense remains a major problem, and the rest of his game has also declined.

At the same time, the Pelicans don't have too many better options. After they let Kevon Looney walk, the Pelicans will still only have around $12 million in cap space under the luxury tax. That is not enough to sign a quality starting center, and there aren't any on the market anyway.

Sure, the Pelicans could open up more cap space through trades and try to sign Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams, or Kristaps Porzingis in free agency. That may be easier said than done, and all of those players still carry different risks.

Vucevic, on the other hand, is a known commodity. He is going to be a negative defensively and can't play too many minutes, but he will give you consistent offensive production. He is a good rebounder and passer.

But more importantly, he is a very good shooter for his position. Floor-spacing bigs are hard to come by, and the Pelicans desperately need one.

Over the years, the Pels have struggled to surround Zion Williamson with enough shooting. Vucevic would be the first true floor-spacing center Williamson played with. Derik Queen similarly needs more space to operate, making Vuc a good fit next to the promising big man as well.

Williamson-Queen-Vucevic frontcourt trio is obviously highly flammable. Jamahl Mosley, as good a defensive coach as he is, will struggle to stop anyone with that big man rotation. If development is the goal, however, Vucevic would help Queen tremendously.

Unfortunately, the Pelicans are not in a position to be too picky given their lack of resources. Vucevic may not be the splashy name some are hoping for, but as an affordable rotation big, the Pelicans could do worse.

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