The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves in a terrific position for the future for a multitude of reasons. For one, the young core of the Pelicans quickly established itself not only as one of the best young groups in the league but also a group capable of making the playoffs.
Secondly, the draft capital gained in the blockbuster trade with the Lakers on top of the move to deal with Atlanta on draft night gives the team a bevy of picks in the upcoming years. Those assets can either be used to draft players or, more likely, be packaged in a trade for a superstar.
Lastly, the team will have cap space moving forward. Depending on the cap gymnastics this upcoming offseason with big cap holds on for both Brandon Ingram and Derrick Favors, the Pelicans could have up to $27 million in cap space.
What they do with that cap space could determine if the team makes a leap next season. Given the vastness of the team’s young core, there are few holes in the rotation not filled by a promising prospect.
It makes the decision-making process all the more critical and interesting when it comes to free agency this upcoming off-season. Here’s a look at three players the Pelicans could target in free agency.
1. Derrick Favors
The list starts with a technicality because why not. Derrick Favors will be an unrestricted free agent and should be priority number one for the Pelicans. While Zion Williamson has taken a lot of the credit recently and Brandon Ingram early in the year, Favors has been the lynchpin for the Pelicans.
With Favors on the court, New Orleans has a +5.8 net rating, which would rank them sixth in the league, along with top ten offensive and defense rankings. With him off the court, the offensive and defensive ratings plummet to bottom ten and the net rating would rank 25th.
Favors has been vitally important to New Orleans’ success this season. Aside from matching any offer sheet with Brandon Ingram or agreeing to contract independently, retaining Favors should be priority number one.
2. Serge Ibaka
The only true need in the starting lineup for the Pelicans is a center. Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, Ingram and Williamson are entrenched in the starting lineup for years to come.
That leaves an opening at the center position that could be filled with a variety of types of role players. While Favors is more of a rim-protecting, traditional big man, Serge Ibaka is a different type of player. Once a rim-protector, Ibaka has lost some of his athleticism from his younger years.
But in trading his rim protection, Ibaka has developed an outside jumper. This season with the Raptors, Ibaka is shooting 39.8% from three-point territory on 3.3 attempts per game.
Ibaka would bring a different dynamic to the Pelicans offense, allowing more room in the paint for Williamson to excel while also offering more of a pick-and-pop threat. Nicolo Melli has shown what the team and Williamson can do with a pick-and-pop big man this season and Ibaka would be a better option in many aspects.
3. Maurice Harkless
While the Pelicans only have one hole in the starter rotation, they do have needs elsewhere. One of the most glaring is a modern wing player. Aside from Ingram, the Pelicans lack many 3&D wings. Josh Hart often fills the role but is undersized as a small forward. E’Twaun Moore has also stepped in at times as the wing but his best days are behind him.
So, while the need for a starter isn’t there, the need for more shooting and wing play off the bench will be a priority this off-season. Maurice Harkless is the perfect type of player to step into that role. Between the Clippers and Knicks this season, Harkless has shot 34.7% from beyond the arc and is a career 32.5% shooter from range.
Harkless, though, is more the archetype of the player the Pelicans should seek less than he is the ideal fit. The likes of Jae Crowder, Jerami Grant, Kent Bazemore and Wesley Matthews all could fit into that role with New Orleans next season.
