General Offseason News

[Pelicanidae]

I do have to applaud teams on a very successful draft-time smokescreening though.

OKC has smokescreened everyone so well that Woj is reporting they might trade up, Givony is saying they've promised Bufkin, Stein has reported they may have promised Coulibaly, no-one knows what they're doing.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte/Portland/New Orleans trifecta has Woj reporting he'd be shocked if any move is made, Stein reporting he's heard that there are serious talks around moving Zion, Givony saying no one has been offered at all, and local Pelicans people saying everything in between.

The public information campaigns are at top level this year.

[Pelicanidae]

BREAKING: Michael Jordan is finalizing a sale of the Charlotte Hornets to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, ending his 13-year run as majority owner, league sources told ESPN on Friday. pic.twitter.com/5TonSrIQhF

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2023

Zion to Hornets because of the MJ connection no longer a viable narrative

[Pelicanidae]

It will be interesting to see how Charlotte moves in the immediate future. New ownership often wants changes to the team roster, but we don't know right now if these new owners are more risk averse, less risk averse - will they keep Kupchak or move on from him too? Maybe they want a big splash trade to signal their takeover, maybe they're into continuity.

Fun.

[Pelicanidae]

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/dzDSb4uCk3

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2023

Ja Morant suspended 25 games - with conditions on his return.

Honestly fewer games than I expected.

[msusousaphone]

Zion and BI gonna make a gun vid the next time they don't feel themselves when the punishment is THAT light.

[Pelicanidae]

Zion and BI gonna make a gun vid the next time they don't feel themselves when the punishment is THAT light.

With the delay on announcing it, Silver saying they had found ''additional'' information, and him saying he didn't want to announce it during the finals because it would distract, I was prepared for half the season at least.

[luckyman]

The problem with saying the Pels are just going to "run it back", is that technically they aren't running it back. They have never run what they had yet.

You have to believe the injury luck will return to the mean at some point. Especially for two guys still 25 and under. Especially with today's training and medicine.

No team can believe they are dealing with a Greg Oden and Brandon Roy at the same time again.

The big move, if any, can wait until february even if it means trying to move lower value.

[Pelicanidae]

Washington Wizards have granted Bradley Beal and his representatives permission to speak with teams the star has interest in being traded to, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. https://t.co/nNIy6E01Mx

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 16, 2023

Beal's on the move for real, it seems

[Pelicanidae]

Haynes: The Boston Celtics are fielding calls on the multitude of quality guards on their roster, sources tell B/R. With Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon and Payton Pritchard all deserving of playing time, Boston is looking to create some position balance, sources say

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) June 16, 2023

Guards on the move.

[Pelicanidae]

Jose Alvarado hosted a youth basketball clinic in Baton Rouge��

See the full gallery here➡️https://t.co/KDT51q9vgP@AmeriHealthLA pic.twitter.com/AtUSpaQYrG

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 16, 2023

[Pelicanidae]

"To my knowledge the Pelicans haven't called the Hornets and offered Zion for the number two pick..

The Pelicans want Scoot Henderson and I'm told that the Hornets would want Brandon Ingram" ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/xsSv6YnYYA

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 16, 2023

Shams says the Pelicans have yet to put Zion on the table for #2 and that the Hornets want Ingram.

Transcript:

''Okay, I'll just break it down like this, to my knowledge, the Pelicans haven't called the Charlotte Hornets and said hey, do you want to do Zion for the number two pick. But what I think has been relayed is - the Pelicans, and I reported this earlier this week, they want Scoot Henderson. They want to move up in this draft, they have the number 14 pick, there's a player named Scoot Henderson he's played for the last two years for G League Ignite, he did not go to college, he left high school to go play professionally for the NBA's G League elite team and he's going to be a potential franchise guard.

A guy that we're going to be talking about for years to come. This guy is athletic, his body is built, like he could've played last year in the NBA, this guy can jump, he's got good vision. Shooting is something that he's definitely got to continue to work on but there's a lot of belief around the league and around the Pelicans that this guy can be a franchise point guard. He has the makeup, he can tone-set for us, he's a culture builder, so they want to go get him.

Realistically, when you look at it, the only way you go get a guy like that is if you give up someone like Zion Williamson, so if you're trying to go get him you have to give something up that makes sense. But what I've heard is, I don't know if the Hornets want Zion Williamson, I think who the Hornets want - from what I'm told - is Brandon Ingram. So for the Pelicans, the draft is less than a week away and we'll see if the Pelicans get to the point as an organisation where, do we move either Ingram or Williamson? That's the big question going into next week.''

[DroopyDawg]

Anybody believe this?

Windhorst: Zion Williamson Has 'No Relationship' with Pelicans amid Trade Rumors

Amid rumors linking Williamson to a potential exit from the Big Easy, his relationship, or lack thereof, with the Pelicans is reportedly on the rocks.

"There is no relationship between Zion and the organization," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on his Hoop Collective podcast (h/t RealGM). "And minimal relationship between Zion and his teammates, from what I understand."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...d-trade-rumors

[luckyman]

Anybody believe this?



https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...d-trade-rumors

It literally and physically makes no sense. You can't be in a place this long, with mostly the same people at the top, and have no relationship.

Especially for a player that apparently hangs around a place he wants out. He's probably the only Pelican still in nola and around the facility right now and seems like he's been here most of the offseason.

You can say his relationship is bad, good, or just plain normal. But "no relationship" is more fat Windy hot air.

[Pelicanidae]

Yeah I don't believe that whatsoever

Like luckyman said, I could believe a bad relationship or something, but no relationship?

Absurd.

[DaFranchise80]

Windy and Perk are just carrying ESPN’s water as usual. They are determined to get stars into large or glamorous markets.

[Pelicanidae]

Windy and Perk are just carrying ESPN’s water as usual. They are determined to get stars into large or glamorous markets.

Perk was pushing for Ja to Miami the other day

[msusousaphone]

The problem with saying the Pels are just going to "run it back", is that technically they aren't running it back. They have never run what they had yet.

You have to believe the injury luck will return to the mean at some point. Especially for two guys still 25 and under. Especially with today's training and medicine.

No team can believe they are dealing with a Greg Oden and Brandon Roy at the same time again.

The big move, if any, can wait until february even if it means trying to move lower value.

Exactly.

And they're mostly so young. BI and Jose are 25, Herb is 24, Zion and Trey are 22, Dyson is 20. Those guys are going to get better every season so it's running it back as much as watching them grow.

[Silverfoxx]

Perk was pushing for Ja to Miami the other day

Who do you want IF we stay at pick 14?

[Pelicanidae]

Who do you want IF we stay at pick 14?

I'd rather see if we can trade a little bit up or down, honestly, but IF we absolutely 100% must make a pick at 14 it depends who is there.

Cason Wallace if he's still on the board is a great pick. If Grady dick somehow fell, him, but I don't think he will. Medicals willing, Whitehead is someone I still believe in. Just some options there, of varying probabilities.

[luckyman]

Higher - Trayce Jackson Davis (36.5" max vert, 7'1" wingspan)

Lower - Cam Whitmore

#14
Keyonte George
Jordan Hawkins

[Pelicanidae]

Higher - Trayce Jackson Davis (36.5" max vert, 7'1" wingspan)

Lower - Cam Whitmore

#14
Keyonte George
Jordan Hawkins

With you on Trayce, he actually reminds me a fair bit of Nance Jr in some ways.

Can I ask why you're lower than most on Cam? I like him overall.

[Pelicanidae]

Pelicans have brought in Iowa forward Kris Murray for a pre-draft workout.

Averaged 20.2 PPG & 7.9 RPG while shooting 41% on C&S looks last season. 6’9” in shoes with a near 7-0 wingspan. He is the twin brother of Kings rookie Keegan Murray. pic.twitter.com/BgKSbgvQrd

— Jake Hardee (@pelicansbyjake) June 17, 2023

I like Murray, I think he'd be a little bit of a reach at #14 - could probably trade back, get an additional asset, and still pick him up if you wanted - but I do like him.

Big scoring wing, pretty good team defender who can switch 2-4. Not elite shooting percentages (34% basically from 3) but he was taking 11 a game on some pretty insane variety so with some refinement it's probably better than that. Great offensive rebounder. He does pretty much everything okay, at least.

He will be 23 at time of NBA debut, I think, which is one (possible) downside.

[Pelicanidae]

Developing: Washington is in serious talks with two finalists – Miami and Phoenix – on a Bradley Beal trade, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Suns have emerged as a serious threat for Beal, who holds a no-trade clause.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 17, 2023

I have no clue how Phoenix could even do it. Ayton, maybe, but because of his extension aren't there restrictions on moving him right now?

[Pelicanidae]

A couple interesting notes on the Suns’ pursuit of Bradley Beal:

- Josh Bartelstein, Phoenix’s CEO, is the son of Bradley Beal’s agent (Mark Bartelstein).

- Since Beal has a full no-trade clause that can decide what compensation is sent, Phoenix can easily match salaries with…

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 17, 2023

Oh, I see how it's happening!

Nepotism.

[fullcourtpress]

Keyonte George's game compares to Eric Gordon/Bradley Beal and thats pretty good. the knock against him was his inneffieicncy, but Gordon shot the same % as a freshman, and at Baylor they were letting him take all sorts of difficult 3's.

If we are going to draft a guard id prefer him over nick smith, cason wallace, and jalen hood . I'd really like Dick but he will be gone imp