The New Orleans Pelicans’ roster overhaul over the last two years has seen a host of veterans shipped out with an influx of young players coming in. The two most notable trades in that span saw franchise cornerstones Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday shipped away, though the latter’s deal is still not official.
The David Griffin-led moves have been largely applauded with the Pelicans getting strong returns in the deals, largely in the form of a host of draft picks. The byproduct of trading and not retaining the majority of their roster is that the roster is full of newcomers, more so than one could likely even imagine.
Reddit user u/322KPM pointed out on Saturday a stunning fact in that Zion Williamson is officially the longest-tenured New Orleans Pelicans, assuming Holiday is officially dealt. Williamson was drafted on June 20, 2019 and signed on July 1.
The official dates of the moves are important when looking up the longest-tenured Pelicans due to the Davis trade. The Davis-to-LA trade was first reported on June 15 but could not be made official for nearly a month. New Orleans officially completed the trade on July 6, making Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram Pelicans five days after Williamson officially became a Pelican.
The good news is that the Pelicans seem set to make the core of their roster long-term Pelicans. Ingram is set to receive a four- or five-year maximum contract this summer while Ball and Hart are extension-eligible as well. Williamson, meanwhile, has quickly become the face of the franchise and looks set long-term for New Orleans.
Still, it’s a fascinating look at how much the Pelicans have rebuilt their roster over the last few years.
