Deep Dive on the Pelicans’ Future Draft Picks
· Yahoo Sports
Watching a team blow up and trade away or cut all the fans’ favorite players is as hurtful as a bad breakup. The New Orleans Pelicans had to move on from Anthony Davis’s time in the Crescent City after he told them that it was not them; it was him. With a small haul of draft capital, the team should have been set for a better future. The aftermath of that rebuilding process still lies in one more part of it that could be the final Infinity Stone for Zanos.
Others Who Have Forced Trades
That’s the most talked-about subject whenever a superstar gets traded. With the Pelicans in a full rebuild after Davis forced his way out of the Big Easy, other veterans continued to leave. Jrue Holiday was one of the next out the door with aspirations to be traded to a championship contender, and the Milwaukee Bucks ended up being the perfect landing spot. After winning the chip, he thanked the Crescent City franchise for doing it right by him.
Visit betsport24.es for more information.
New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Herb Jones (2) takes part in media day at Smoothie King Center. Photo Credit: Matthew Hinton, Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectWith defensive specialist Herb Jones as the only piece left from the Davis trade, some say the Lakers won that trade outright, and they view the Holiday trade the same way. Both the Lakers and Bucks won championships by adding those key players. There is a solid argument that the New Orleans Pelicans lost both trades, but one last piece may change everything.
Hindsight is 20/20, and if general managers had a magic crystal ball to know what the league was doing in the coming years, there would be no bad trades or contracts. Thirteen seasons after being drafted, Giannis Antetokounmpo forced his way out of Milwaukee after bringing them a championship, their first in 50 years since the previous one led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Since taking his talents to South Beach, Miami, the Bucks are 1-7. Currently, they have the second-worst record in the NBA, and with a roster in the midst of a complete rebuild, it’s safe to say they won’t be competitive.
Why is This Important for the Pelicans?
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (5) reacts to the basket of New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Smoothie King Center. Photo Credit: Matthew Hinton, Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectWell, the last key piece of the Holiday trade may help the Pelicans set themselves up for deep playoff runs. Currently, the Pels have a 2027 pick swap with the Bucks, and the lower pick would be sent to Atlanta as part of the Dejounte Murray trade. If this small sample of the season is any indication of things to come, the Bucks should be drafting in the lottery. This means the Pelicans will potentially get a highly anticipated rookie, and they could pair him with Williamson, Fears, and Queen.
This right to swap picks gives New Orleans flexibility, especially with more expensive contracts such as Murray’s and Jordan Poole‘s, as they could be traded for extra picks. The Pelicans could use those picks to draft highly sought-after rookies or to make a win-now move to acquire a superstar for a championship run.
This is key for an owner who has never paid the luxury tax, as it limits the team’s ability to sign high-name free agents. Also, if the team starts losing and the dreaded injury bug hits them again, the Pelicans seem set for a rebuilding process that should not take long, with key young players already showing they are All-NBA talent.
Draft capital is not a 100% efficient way to improve, as many lottery picks never pan out as NBA superstars. But it’s a nice-to-have, especially with rookies coming out of college ready to compete at the league level. Examples of Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg come to mind.
This is the Pelicans’ draft capital for the upcoming seasons:
Year1st Round Pick Status2nd Round Pick Status2027Own pick + rights to the more favorable of NOP/MIL (Atlanta gets the lesser pick, protected top 4)Incoming pick from OKC/HOU/IND/MIA pool; own 2nd owed elsewhere2028Own 1st-round pick2nd-round pick owed to San Antonio Spurs2029Own 1st-round pick2nd-round pick owed to San Antonio SpursLast Word on Importance of Pelicans Future Drafts
The two different timelines, those being the core players reaching their prime and the young ones just getting their footing down the Pelicans roster, may actually work in the little sample the team has played so far. With a terrible Bucks team giving the team a relatively high pick and the amount of young talent it currently has, the future may actually be bright.
New Orleans did not earn their 4th win of the 2025-26 season until Game 26, and this season they have done it in just eight games, which shows an important improvement. Only time will tell, but with the injury luck the Pelicans have had in recent seasons, it seems it’s time for the team to catch a couple of breaks and give the fans the competitive team they know they can have, with an important pick coming from the Bucks. Holiday’s legacy in the Pelicans may set them for the foreseeable future.
For More NBA News:
The Pelicans’ New Defensive Grit Turning Things Around
The Trick Behind Luka Doncic’s 3rd Straight 40-Point Game
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Carries Thunder Amid Injuries
Photo Credit: Matthew Hinton, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect