NBA Trade Rumors: 3 players that could leave the Pelicans ahead of the deadline

Teams around the NBA are free to make trades until the 7th of February, as the trade window will then close ahead of this year's All-Star Event in North Carolina. This will represent the second consecutive season in which the trade deadline has preceded the NBA's All-Star weekend, and the league is likely to see a number of notable trades over the next five days.

The trade market has already heated up thanks to the monumental trade involving the Knicks and Mavericks that resulted in Kristaps Porzingis leaving New York, and a number of other teams will be looking to get in on the action over the coming days, including the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans have suffered another disappointing season and with the team well under .500 for the season, the organization may be looking to move a number of players ahead of the deadline. So with departures looking likely, here are three members of the Pelicans roster that could find themselves on a new team next week.

#3 Nikola Mirotic

Cleveland Cavaliers v New Orleans Pelicans

Despite a number of injury setbacks, Nikola Mirotic has been a regular starter for the Pelicans this season, and the power forward is currently averaging 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old has struggled to match the production that DeMarcus Cousins offered to the Pelicans last season, and the team has struggled to win with the big man pairing of Mirotic and Anthony Davis.

Due to this, the Pelicans will reportedly accept draft picks in return for Mirotic, and teams around the NBA are likely to be interested in adding a versatile big man who is shooting 37% from beyond the arc. Mirotic also becomes a free agent in the summer, so if the former Chicago man has no intention of resigning, it makes sense for the Pelicans to trade him away now.

#2 Julius Randle

Julius Randle for the New Orleans Pelicans against the Brooklyn Nets

After being renounced by the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, Randle signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the Pelicans. Randle had been a regular starter during his four seasons with the Lakers, however, the team didn't believe he was worth an annual salary of $9 million.

Nevertheless, Randle has enjoyed the best season of his young career with the Pelicans, and so far this season he has averaged 19.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Despite Randle's impressive individual performances, ESPN's Zach Lowe revealed that the Pelicans had made the 24-year-old available for trade. Randle has a guaranteed contract for the 19/20 season, so teams targetting the center are able to guarantee that he will stick around for at least a year.

This means that the center will attract a lot of interest ahead of the deadline, and a number of teams may be willing to match the Pelicans reported asking price of a first-round pick.

#1 Anthony Davis

It is a matter of when rather than if Anthony Davis will depart the Pelicans. The 25-year-old has requested a trade while also making it clear that he won't be signing a new contract with the team. In the aftermath of the drama, the Pelicans released the following statement:

Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization. We have also requested the League to strictly enforce the tampering rules associated with this transaction.

Judging by the Pelicans response to Davis' request, the franchise clearly won't be forced into a deal. Nevertheless, the Knicks were adamant that Kristaps Porzingis wouldn't be dealt, and days later he joined the Mavericks.

Anything can happen in the final days of the NBA trade window, and if the Lakers offer the Pelicans a trade package that consists of Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma, then the Pelicans may be tempted.

Edited by Gabby Duran