Pelicans' Embarrassing Loss to Bucks Highlights Unforgivable Trade Deadline Blunder

The New Orleans Pelicans' trade deadline approach is setting them up for years of pain.

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

On the same day that it was reported that the Pelicans front office believes they have a playoff roster and are not interested in trading their core players, New Orleans suffered their 40th loss of the season. Facing a Milwaukee Bucks team on the second night of a back-to-back without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Pelicans allowed a 135.7 offensive rating in their overtime loss. On the day of the trade deadline, the Pelicans have the second-worst record in the league at 13-40. That record doesn't suggest a playoff team in hiding, does it?

Much hay has been made about how the Pelicans are a different team when they are healthy. Yes, the Pelicans are obviously better when their best players are available, especially Herb Jones. Yet, there is still a big gap between a "better than 13-40" team and one that is worth holding onto. Even with Jones in the lineup, the Pelicans are 10-20. Taking into account last season as well, the Pelicans are 15-35 in the games Jones has played.

It's not like the Pelicans have been less healthy than expected. If anything, Zion Williamson has played significantly more than it would have been realistically expected. Jordan Poole missed time, but he is out of the rotation, anyway. Herb Jones missed 23 games, but other than him, no key Pelican was absent for long stretches.

Pelicans' Trade Deadline Approach Is Unacceptable

This is just who the New Orleans Pelicans are. They have some individual talent and high-level role players, to be sure, but they are a bad, poorly-constructed team. If Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Zion Williamson, and Saddiq Bey had other quality veterans around them, this could be a competitive team.

Instead, they have a 19-year-old rookie point guard and a rookie center as the centerpieces around them. Jordan Poole, who was supposed to be their offensive engine making $31.8 million this season, can't see the floor on a 13-40 team. Dejounte Murray has been out for over a year, makes $30.8 million this season and what he will look like coming back is a big question mark.

Looking at this roster and seeing a playoff team in the loaded Western Conference is absolutely delusional. Nothing happened since the start of last season that would suggest that this is a group worth holding onto. The Pelicans, while desperately trying to win, have more losses than some teams (Wizards, Pacers, Jazz) that are intentionally trying to lose games.

If any team in the league is begging for a rebuild, it's the New Orleans Pelicans. Refusing to acknowledge this simple reality is organizational malpractice by Joe Dumars & Co.