After only playing in 24 games last year, there was a lot of hype surrounding Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans entering this NBA season. With a plethora of young talent led by Williamson and Ingram, some veteran talents in Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams, as well as a new, well-respected head coach in Stan Van Gundy, the Pelicans were picked by many to make the playoffs this year, but they have been very inconsistent. 

After starting the NBA season 4-2, the Pelicans are just 8-12 and in 14th place in the Western Conference. They have started to play better, winning three of their last five games, but if the Pelicans are going to make the playoffs in a packed Western Conference, they are going to have to be willing to make some moves near the NBA trade deadline. 

Lonzo Ball, J.J. Redick and Josh Hart are all guys in the final years of their contracts that have been a part of trade rumors circulating around the Pelicans and are all players who New Orleans could potentially move to pull off a blockbuster trade.

The Pelicans are currently $20.9M over the salary cap and do not have much room to make big moves at the NBA trade deadline, but Ball’s, Redick’s and Hart’s contracts add up to about $27.4M, giving this organization the ability to add a big name. 

One name that comes to mind that could potentially be moved at the NBA trade deadline and make a big difference on a team like the Pelicans is Zach LaVine. He has two years left on his contract, including this year, and has done nothing but lose in Chicago. 

Could the Bulls look to trade Zach LaVine to the Pelicans at the NBA trade deadline? Let’s take a look at what this trade could potentially look like.