![]() The core of Ball, Ingram, and Bridges should be more than enough to help Charlotte make a run at the playoffs, and if Charlotte’s youngsters improve, they could do even more than that. Ingram would undoubtedly help them do that, giving them a go-to scoring option. However, with Ball on the roster and Miles Bridges potentially making a return to the court, they could be ready to push for the postseason. And in the 2022-23 season, they took a massive step backward. New Orleans’ roster now stands at 17 players, including two two-way players. Getting back Gordon Hayward in order to match salaries would ensure that they keep up a solid forward rotation, and since he’ll be in the final year of his contract, New Orleans doesn’t have to worry about that, either.Īs for Charlotte, this would be a nice way to solidify improvement.įor the past few seasons, the Hornets have been unable to get over the hump with LaMelo Ball and their current core. The Pelicans will tip-off the regular season Wednesday, October 19 in Brooklyn against the Nets. While the Blazers are still in the playoff mix, it is difficult to envision them making it this season after trading McCollum, especially if Lillard doesn't return.Trading Ingram by himself for the second pick would be a solid deal for the Pelicans, who would get to reshape their roster around Scoot Henderson and Zion Williamson. ![]() With McCollum gone, Simons should continue to shine and could be Lillard's new backcourt running mate moving forward. One positive during his absence is that Anfernee Simons has enjoyed a career year, averaging 15.8 points per game. Lillard, who is a six-time All-Star, has been on the shelf with an abdominal injury and it is unclear when or if he will return this season. It is unclear if Williamson will play at all next season, but assuming he is healthy for the 2022-23 campaign, the Pelicans will be able to deploy a starting lineup of Valanciunas, Zion, Ingram, McCollum and Graham, which should make them strong playoff contenders in the West.Īs for the Blazers, they seem to be entering into something of a rebuild, or at least a retooling around Lillard. McCollum gives the Pelicans another dynamic offensive player in addition to Ingram, not to mention the shooting ability of Devonte' Graham, Garrett Temple and others. In 36 games this season, McCollum is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 three-pointers made per contest, while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc. ![]() While the 30-year-old McCollum has never been selected to an All-Star Game, he has averaged at least 20 points and 2.0 three-pointers made per game in six consecutive seasons and is on pace to make it seven. Still, it is hard to not be excited about the Pelicans' future now that McCollum is part of a core that already included Williamson, Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas, among others. Ingram was an All-Star for the first time two seasons ago and has developed into a quality offensive player, but Ball and Hart are both gone, and Williamson hasn't played at all this season because of a foot injury. The Pelicans have missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, last making it in 2017-18, which was Anthony Davis' second-to-last season with the franchise.Ī quick turnaround was expected after the Davis trade, as the Pels landed Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Hart and draft picks in the deal, plus they won the lottery for the No. Prior to the McCollum trade, the Blazers already dealt Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers last week for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round draft pick. New Orleans is just a half-game up on the Blazers, but Portland seems to be stripping down its roster and trading off its top assets aside from Lillard. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the team still believes in Michael Porter Jr., whose scoring and minutes declined in Games 2 and 3 of the NBA Finals.
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