The New Orleans Pelicans have been hard at work transforming their backcourt this offseason. Days before the 2021 NBA Draft, they unloaded guard Eric Bledsoe in a cap clearing move with the Memphis Grizzlies.
New Orleans sent Bledsoe, Steven Adams, the No. 10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and 2022 first-round draft pick to Memphis in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas and the No. 17 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. The two teams also swapped second-round picks in the 2021 NBA Draft.
New Orleans opened up the salary cap space to match an offer sheet for Lonzo Ball or pursue veteran Kyle Lowry in free agency. Neither of those moves came to fruition.
Ball signed a four-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Bulls and a sign-and-trade was completed. New Orleans received Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple and a future second-round pick in the deal. Lowry agreed to a three-year, $90 million deal with the Miami Heat and was also part of a sign-and-trade deal.
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The Pelicans wasted little time pivoting to another move. They snagged Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent Devonte’ Graham on a four-year, $47 million deal. In the sign-and-trade, the Pelicans sent a future lottery-protected pick to the Hornets.
With their backcourt remade, Graham could be looking at the starting point guard spot in New Orleans. What could we expect from the former Kansas Jayhawk in The Big Easy? Here are three bold predictions for Graham with the New Orleans Pelicans.
