NBA Trade Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans May Be Trying to Raise Ceiling of Team by Going After High Upside Players
New Orleans Pelicans linked by trade rumors to Jahlil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers and Reggie Jackson of the Detroit Pistons
The New Orleans Pelicans employ one of the best players in the entire league in Anthony Davis, but to this point at least, they have struggled to put together a roster that can help him turn the team into a consistent contender. This could explain why some of the newer NBA trade rumors have them involved in some potentially interesting deals.
Recently, a tweet from Sports Illustrated's Jake Fischer mentioned that the Pelicans "had internally mulled offering a trade package for Reggie Jackson." Jackson is currently one of the key players for the Detroit Pistons, but what's interesting about a potential deal for him - at least on the Pelicans' side - is that he is signed to a contract that runs through the 2019-2020 NBA season.
Should the Pelicans choose to deal for Jackson, they will have ample time to see if he can work well with Davis without worrying that they may suddenly lose him to free agency, which could be a good thing for the team in the long run.
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Jackson is not the only player who has caught the eye of the Pelicans recently.
In a recent article for USA Today Sports, Sam Amick reported that the Pelicans and the Philadelphia 76ers have apparently had "serious trade talks" that could lead to second year big man Jahlil Okafor moving to New Orleans.
Looking at who the Pelicans are reportedly after in trades seems to suggest that the team is looking to acquire younger players who can still get better and grow alongside Davis.
Okafor, in particular, was regarded as a potential star player coming out of Duke University, while Jackson's athleticism makes it easy to think that he can still turn into an even better player moving forward.
Considering how the Pelicans' roster at this moment is not exactly teeming with star power beyond Davis, it makes sense that they are going after players who may still have their best days ahead of them in the hopes that they can finally form a more solid foundation for the franchise, while in the process, also raising their ceiling by acquiring more talent.
Fans of the New Orleans Pelicans will definitely want to watch the latest NBA trade rumors, as the team's roster could look very different very soon should these rumblings turn into reality.
