PREDICTIONS for the New Orleans PELICANS in the NBA playoffs | Devine Intervention | Yahoo Sports

PREDICTIONS for the New Orleans PELICANS in the NBA playoffs | Devine Intervention | Yahoo Sports

In two months that’s will’ll be like in the middle of the first round of the playoffs couple months past that or a couple weeks past that rather is second round of the playoffs what do you think we’re talking about about the Pelicans come that time is it like holy cow Zion breakout you

Know favorite on the ropes in round two is it all right buddy like let’s see what we can get for Brandon Ingram you know what do you think is a more likely kind of conversation that we’re going to be having in that in that time uh I

Would say historically I’m a little more pessimistic uh given what the Pelicans have gone through so like why I mean I can’t I can’t imagine why you would feel that way given what we just talked about who knows yeah there’s not any priors informing that um so I

Think I would say at this point the most likely outcome is a first round out and people wondering what the future of the Zion Williams and Brandon Ingram Duo looks like they’re you know as a part of the No Cap room podcast I’m sure you’re you’re aware that Brandon Ingram uh is

Due for a 30% Max extension this summer and I think that’s a big decision because Trey Murphy is also extension eligible this summer they don’t have to come to a deal there um but those two contracts if you do lock them in together will kick in at the same time

That following year and so now you’re looking at being a very expensive team without necessarily being a team that has a pathway beyond the first round outside of like internal star Improvement right or just internal Improvement and and I think that’s a a tricky position for this Market given

Their history with the luxury tax and that’s kind of going to Define all of their transactions and offseason decisions unfortunately but that’s just the reality of it and so if it’s a first round out and one or the two of them have a disappointing showing then I

Think that noise is going to get very loud now I’m hoping I’m hoping it turns out that these guys are just 16 game players and and not 82 game players right and and you know we see Zion’s ridiculous Rim pressure putting teams in all kinds of foul trouble and and and

Causing problems bi’s just incredible shot making inside the ark like keeping the offense like at at a high enough level to to let their defense take over on the other end right and so you’re hoping that carries them to a series win and then you’re competitive in the

Second round against a very good team that makes it out there it’s probably going to be one of those aforementioned high dollar second apron teams that are that’s going to be there and so then you can tell yourself like we didn’t pay the tax this year we were competitive

Against like a second apron team or someone that’s blown past the tax restrictions then you can take that to ownership and be like hey if you uh enable this spending then we can also do that and so uh that in my opinion would be a great scenario for them either that

Or you’re looking at you know bi and Larry Nance Jr is a large amount of expiring money and all the picks that are not nailed down for who can you know who can be that big swing Target yeah who shakes free right well you know Okay

I lied if you get your DRS about that or your Your Pie in the Sky dream of who that shakes free who that person to shake free is what’s what does that look like for the Pelicans around Zion that’s so tough because like for example what if it’s Giannis that shakes free right

Man I’m just here to cause problems right I’m just here to cause problems right well now I’m concerned about inviting you on my show but uh you know so it kind of depends on the guy right because like for whatever reason like Giannis is like

I’m tired of Doc and you know I got my extension money so I got the money now I can ask out I I think you I think for first and foremost for that caliber of player if there’s if there is a top five caliber of guys shaken free and you even

Have the remote possibility of being in those discussions and you have him ruled out because of market then then it doesn’t matter who’s on your roster you just do whatever it takes to go get that person right and it’s a it’s a bet on yourself like you’ve got you got just go

Get him get him in here and then we figure it out from there but you’re not going to get that guy otherwise right right and and and that may involve moving both of of Zion and Brandon right you move Zion for for for one of the thing and Brandon for a better fitting

Thing or whatever you you figure it out right and I’m not saying they have to do that you figure it out but like the second thing is like you know borrowing something like that like it is a little bit difficult to forecast who this next like all-nba type of guy is going to

Like be and so if I’m if I’m specifically you know you’re you’re framing as like building it around Zion if I’m looking at it like from a Zion Centric View and I’m trading Brandon I think there’s a couple things I’m hoping to accomplish and if I can accomplish

One of those things that’ll be a win and so like I’m either looking for a long-term starting level center that is is is is got the age lined up the contract lined up and like the talent lined up and so you know I think there’s a couple of those guys that might fit

The bill or I’m looking for um a long-term solution at the guard spot and or the third thing I’d be looking for is to just get contractually younger and buy some of these like not immediate rookie scale guys but at the tail end of like rookie scale guys who are are are

Very good they’re probably doe on some money coming soon but they’re ready to contribute now and then that way your contractual timeline has effectively been reset and you have more time to make decision on the Zion front who’s locked in and I think you know his contracts quite good in terms of the

Outs that it has you know you have a lot of protection yes um on it and and you also will kind of like reset your your assets a little bit to where like okay if there isn’t an immediate star or immediate you know like shaker like you

Know springing loose then you you have a good competitive team in and then the short term that you can have the flexibility to make moves on later when when the opportunity arises and the team I’m kind of focused on that with regards to that is Houston oh I was gonna guess

Cleveland but all right tell Cleveland is the team 100% right Cleveland Jared Allen Evan Mobley I’m 100% eyeing what direction they go with those two guys I I think Garland could be a candidate for shaking free as well and uh I think it’s a tricky fit with CJ McCullum but you

Know you can figure that stuff out but you know with with regards to Houston in terms of like the contractual reset you know they have shenon who should be a foundational piece there’s a mixed you know there’s a mixed sense of things coming out from Houston on like how they

Actually view him um you have Jabari Smith Jr you have amen Thompson you know you have these guys who I think like you know they’re not Star level guys uh but they’re young enough they provide you production at positions of need you’re resetting your contractual timeline and

So you can buy yourself time and and I know they’re star hunting Houston is star hunting big time so you know I think I think that’s one to look at but yeah Cleveland is the other for sure

Yahoo Sports NBA writer Dan Devine and Shamit Dua from In the N.O. give their prediction on how far they see the New Orleans Pelicans going in the NBA playoffs.

Watch the full conversation here ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0iaXFsP1Gs

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