Are the Pelicans open to a complete rebuild?

Nothing has gone right for the New Orleans Pelicans in recent years. Drafting Zion Williamson with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was supposed to be the stroke of good fortune the franchise needed. Unfortunately, Williamson's inability to stay healthy and a flurry of other roster blunders have left the Pelicans fighting for survival near the bottom of the Western Conference. 

Fortunately, New Orleans does have some young talent to build around if it chooses to turn its focus toward the future. According to Jake Fischer, who was writing in Sunday's edition of The Stein Line newsletter, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and Yves Missi are all seen as potential building blocks for the future. Fischer also noted that every other player on the roster is potentially available on the trade market.

"While naturally resistant to trade inquiries for their younger gems — Herb Jones, rookie Yves Missi and Trey Murphy III — word is that the Pelicans are essentially open to trade pitches for pretty much anyone else on the roster apart from those three amid a 5-21 start and more injury woe than even Philadelphia," Fischer wrote. 

Earlier this summer, the Pelicans added Dejounte Murray in an attempt to maximize the talent around Williamson. While the team has rarely had a fully healthy squad, the returns have been far from great. Seeing Dyson Daniels thrive with the Atlanta Hawks likely hurts, too. 

As such, it's only fair to wonder whether the Williamson experiment has run out of time. To put it bluntly, the partnership hasn't worked. Both the franchise and the player would be better off parting ways and embracing a fresh start. 

The front office would need to discuss whether that means also moving on from Brandon Ingram, Murray, and CJ McCollum. However, if Williamson leaves, there's no star to build around, so the supporting cast becomes far less important.

It might not happen at the trade deadline, but it feels like we're closing in on another Pelicans rebuild. Still, that won't make the failed Williamson era any easier to stomach.