Pelicans' Reported Interest in Trading Yves Missi Makes Little Sense

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly willing to trade Yves Missi. GIving up on Missi so quickly is difficult to understand.

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are willing to stand pat at the trade deadline, much to the frustration of the fanbase. This means that Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy will stay in New Orleans past the February 5 trade deadline. This doesn't mean, however, that the Pelicans will not make any moves. In fact, one move they are reportedly considering completely misses the mark.

Raptors insider and Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange revealed on Tuesday that he has heard from multiple sources that Yves Missi is available at the trade deadline. In his report about the Raptors, Grange added that he is unsure how much Toronto is interested in Missi, but says that the Pelicans are listening to offers on the second-year center.

Pelicans Are Making a Yves Missi Mistake at the Trade Deadline

Out of all the players the Pelicans can trade and get back assets for, Missi makes as little sense as any. The 21-year-old big man has upside and is playing well this season. He is the only traditional center on the roster who can defend at a reasonable level. The only times the Pelicans have been respectable defensively have been when Missi has been on the court. There is a reason New Orleans is 5.9 points per 100 possessions better defensively when Missi plays, per Cleaning the Glass.

In fact, when Missi is on the court, the Pelicans have a +0.1 net rating. He is the only player on the team with a positive on-court rating. Yet, he is the player Joe Dumars & Co. are trying to move.

A reason for this could be that Missi was not drafted by the Joe Dumars regime. A remnant of the David Griffin administration, Missi may be getting undervalued by the new front office that is trying to put its stamp on the team. Perhaps they want to get a first-round pick back in the upcoming draft so that they can select a player they prefer.

Even if that is the case, the Pelicans should not be in the business of trading second-year players who contribute and are on their rookie-scale contracts. Especially if that player plays a position of need for this team.

Derik Queen has the chance to be an elite offensive big man, but has serious shortcomings defensively. He may need to play next to a rim-protecting center. The Pelicans already have one in Missi. Instead of playing Missi and Queen together to see if they can be a long-term pairing, they are giving up on their former first-round pick.

If the Pelicans get a first-rounder that can be in the lottery, of course, they should consider trading Missi. Unless there is another team that employs a Joe Dumars-level incompetence in its front office, that is not happening.

Therefore, keeping Missi, letting him develop, and seeing if he can be a starting center in this league, is the right strategy. Pelicans fans, however, have every right to be skeptical about their team's ability to implement the right strategy.