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The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly looking to bolster their frontcourt heading into the next season. The latest NBA rumors suggest that the Pelicans are interested in bringing in another center with two young big men on their radar.
According to William Guillory and John Hollinger of The Athletic, the Pelicans have explored ways to acquire either Jarrett Allen or Isaiah Stewart. Allen has been great for the Cleveland Cavaliers but was ineffective against the New York Knicks in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Stewart is a steady inside presence for the Detroit Pistons. He's coming off the best season of his career but Detroit has a glut of big men on their roster. Jalen Duren showed some promise in his rookie season while Marvin Bagley III was effective when healthy. The Pistons also acquired James Wiseman at last season's trade deadline.
William Guillory pointed out Jonas Valanciunas' contract situation as one of the possible reasons why the New Orleans Pelicans are exploring the trade market. Valanciunas is entering the final year of his deal and could become a free agent next summer.
The Lithuanian big man is among the most consistent centers in the NBA. However, he's not a great defender and recently just turned 31 years old. He can still score and rebound but is not the ideal big man for the Pelicans' closing team with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
Guillory also noted that Allen is a great fit for the Pelicans and will be an upgrade defensively. The only problem is the Cleveland Cavaliers will likely ask for New Orleans' younger prospects such as Trey Murphy, Dyson Daniel or the very valuable first-round pick from the LA Lakers.
On the other hand, Stewart signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Detroit Pistons this summer. Despite the glut of big men in Detroit, the Pistons possibly view "Beef Stew" as an important part of their future.
Will the New Orleans Pelicans trade Zion Williamson?
Zion Williamson had a very headline-filled summer due to his personal life. It did not help that Williamson only played 29 games in the past two seasons. He was even linked to a potential trade leading to the NBA draft but nothing came to fruition.
John Hollinger of The Athletic reported that Williamson's current contract situation makes it hard for the New Orleans Pelicans to trade him. The off-court drama, injuries and conditioning issues make his trade value hard to gauge. Nevertheless, the relationship between the player and the team is already delicate, which makes it even more interesting heading into next season.
