Trade No. 2 – New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: F Draymond Green, G Mychal Mulder, GSW 2022 2nd Round Pick
Golden State Warriors Receive: G J.J. Redick, G Nickeil Alexander-Walker, F Josh Hart
If there is one thing we know about teams that are coached by Stan Van Gundy, it is that they are always primarily focused on the defensive end of the court. In his first year with the Pelicans early on, we are clearly seeing Van Gundy’s teachings as the Pelicans are currently one of the better overall defensive teams in the NBA.
With Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe both being tough-minded perimeter defenders and with Zion’s athletic abilities to defend the paint, the New Orleans Pelicans have a great all-around defensive-minded team, but could use a veteran player in the frontcourt who has made a living off being a great defender.
When Zion Williamson is out of the game, the Pelicans normally move Brandon Ingram to power-forward and bring in perimeter-oriented players for more firepower on the offensive end of the court. Against bigger and better teams though, this philosophy may not work as Ingram is not the strongest player, especially when defending in the low-post.
The addition of a guy like Draymond Green gives the Pelicans a veteran guy who could come off the bench and contribute in a big way. New Orleans has zero depth behind Williamson in the frontcourt and bringing in Green would be a big boost to their team defensively and offensively as well.
Green’s overall abilities to make plays on the offensive end of the court should be heavily valued by any team targeting him and with his abilities to throw lobs to Zion Willamson, the Pelicans could put together one of the better frontcourts in the NBA.
For the Warriors, getting two young talents in Alexander-Walker and Hart could be very beneficial for them moving forward and acquiring a veteran guy like J.J. Redick can help them immediately this year. All three guys can be very beneficial for Golden State this season in their pursuit of making it back to the playoffs.
All of them are perimeter threats and the best part about getting J.J. Redick, besides his three-point shooting, is the fact that he is on an expiring contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, which would free up some much needed cap space for the Warriors moving into the offseason.
We can only hope Klay Thompson will be 100% healthy and himself entering the 2021-22 NBA season and with plenty of young talent like Wiggins, Oubre Jr, Hart, Alexander-Walker and Wiseman around both him and Steph Curry, the Warriors would have a very strong and deep team moving forward.
