NBA Trade Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans Looking to Acquire a Wing Player

By Noriel See, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, January 11, 2018

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly looking to add more depth at the wing positions via trade.

However, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has noted that they will have a hard time pulling off a deal due to their lack of assets.

"New Orleans is limited in its tradable assets. No one is taking the moribund contracts of Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca without the Pelicans including a first-round draft pick — if not more — in the deal," Wojnarowski said in his report.

According to Wojnarowski, the Pelicans are hopeful Solomon Hill will return from a torn left hamstring before March, but they remain active in the trade market.

The Atlanta Hawks' Kent Bazemore, Brooklyn Nets' DeMarre Carroll, Orlando Magic's Evan Fournier and Utah Jazz's Alec Burks are some of the notable wings rumored to be available for trade.

They are all productive role players for their respective teams, but Bazemore is arguably the most interesting option because of his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor.

"If New Orleans is interested in giving up its first-round pick, bringing in Bazemore would be the most logical move. But New Orleans would likely have to reel in a third team to come up with enough of a return to convince the Hawks to make the move," William Guillory said in his column for the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The veteran wing is averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in under 29 minutes a game this season, and he's shooting 41 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 79.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Fournier is also a viable option, although he's not a lockdown defender by any means. The length of his contract may be an issue for the Pelicans as well, per Guillory.