1 player Pelicans must trade in 2025 NBA offseason

This is not to say that CJ McCollum has no place on the Pelicans roster anymore. But with the acquisition of Dejounte Murray, still having McCollum around feels a bit redundant, especially when they can dedicate their resources to the other pieces they have on the roster that better fits with their timeline.

While the Pelicans may need McCollum’s offensive production next season considering that Brandon Ingram is no longer on the roster, it will be tricky for New Orleans to decide which player heads to the bench. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are incredible pieces to have on the wing; Jones is one of the best defenders in the league and Murphy broke out as a three-level scorer amid all of the team’s injuries. A quartet of Murray, Jones, Murphy, and Zion Williamson should be a good starting off point for them next season.

With McCollum set to make $31 million next season, trading him away to a team with cap space could free up considerable room in the budget for the team to pursue a starting center. While next season’s free agency class isn’t exactly the best, there are some solid center options for the Pelicans to chase.

Perhaps the best option for them to try and acquire in free agency is Myles Turner; Turner can space the floor and protect the rim, making him an incredible fit alongside the relentless rim attacker that is Williamson. If the Pelicans want a center that fits but wouldn’t cost them as much, they could then set their sights on Brook Lopez. Both of those players will be unrestricted free agents.

If the Pelicans decide to go all-in, maybe using McCollum as a trade piece in a potential Domantas Sabonis trade could work. New Orleans has a few draft assets left in their treasure chest to entice the Sacramento Kings in a potential trade, and maybe the Kings could see value in McCollum’s expiring contract so they can clean house.

Whatever the case may be, it will be a huge surprise if McCollum begins next season still wearing a Pelicans uniform.

Do the Pelicans still trust Zion Williamson to be their franchise player?

There is a chance that the Pelicans decide to cut their losses and start over, recouping plenty of draft capital in the process of trading away Zion Williamson, the franchise player that was promised when the team drafted him first overall back in 2019.

Williamson simply hasn’t shown to be at a level of reliability that any team would need from their franchise star. He played in just 30 games this past season and tends to get injured at the most inopportune moments. And he’s only getting older, which means that he could be even more susceptible to injury problems in the coming years.

But Williamson has so much upside that perhaps the Pelicans talk themselves into hoping for the best and trying to make a playoff run with him as the franchise cornerstone one more time.