The New Orleans Pelicans May Be Having A Fire Sale

The New Orleans Pelicans May Be Having A Fire Sale

The situation around the New Orleans Pelicans is quite messy uh for a couple of reasons. And mainly I want to talk about the basketball side of things and what their pivot is, what they may or may not be doing. Are they potentially getting rid of some of their coveted assets? And the fact that there’s nobody on the roster that’s quote unquote untouchable at this point, which really I think should be the case anyway. But um aside from that, I can’t just dance around the fact that there’s a humongous allegation surrounding one Pelican Star right now. And we’re going to talk about that briefly, but mostly again, we’re going to stick to basketball. So, I hope you guys enjoy. Make sure you subscribe here to the channel while uh Trevor Lane and I keep you guys locked in on all the news in the NBA, good and bad, because this is quite bad. And this is firstly, let me say this. Um, I’m not going to say the the R word because YouTube sometimes can get funky with that. So, I’ll add a G in front. It’ll sound silly, but bear with me. But, um, firstly, let me say this. Like if anybody has any rape allegations, abuse allegations, a continuing pattern of abuse, controlling, and threatening behavior, that’s just as an organization, I can’t have that. I can’t have that around. That’s just bad optics. It looks terrible. It’s terrible. All the stuff Zion’s been involved in just looks terrible over the last few years. It’s just bad. Everything away from basketball looks bad. And unfortunately, he doesn’t play basketball enough to make people forget about those other things either. He just It’s all bad. Like I didn’t to be honest, aside from the basketball stuff, that’s one thing, but even including the basketball stuff, if I’m an organization, I’m not touching Zion at the 10-ft pole, man. It’s just bad all around. And that says nothing for his talent on the court. We know he’s talented, but that doesn’t matter when he’s never out there half the time. like he’s literally every other year he plays a good chunk then he misses half the year, misses a good chunk and then plays most of the year. Like he’s just back and forth with that. Um that just you can’t have that. But then this this is terrible. So Zion has been accused of rape and physical abuse uh by Jane Doe claiming to be his former girlfriend in addition to two specific rape allegations. The New Orle specific the New Orleans Pelicans power forward is accused of a continuing pattern of abuse controlling and threatening behavior towards the plaintiff as detailed. So, there’s that. Uh, this came out like two days ago. I just didn’t really get on it yet. But, there was another one that popped up like today. Um, Mariah Mills, yeah, remember her, has reportedly contacted Tony Busby as she considers filing her own actions against Zion. She was actually, you know, the funny thing about that situation when when all this Mariah Mills stuff popped up like what was it last offseason, the offseason prior, she was actually saying some similar stuff, wasn’t she? Well, I now don’t don’t quote me on that, but I think she was saying like she was pregnant or something like that. And then also was saying that he was abusive, things like that. I don’t know. Is is Zion just one of those guys where it’s just, you know, they’re rich, so they think nobody can touch them? I don’t know. But at the same point, I we don’t know enough. I can’t I can’t condemn him. I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything at all other than what’s hearsay on Twitter. I don’t know. Right. Um, and there’s and the harsh reality is is that there’s also situations like this where it’s just a cash grab, a money grab. I don’t know. But what I will say is a lot of times things get settled, which I always think settling stuff seems sketchy, too. So, there’s that. I don’t know what happens with this. Is Zion even a basketball player after this? Will there be legal pursuit? Will he just settle it? I don’t I don’t know, right? Or I I don’t know. So, I’m not in a position to I’m not judge jury. I’m not in a position to really say much about it. I don’t really know enough and I don’t I prefer not to comment on things too much I don’t know much about. Um but if what I will say is if this stuff is true and it comes to light that this stuff is true that entirely changes my perspective on Zion and and this is terrible and if I and regardless the sad thing is even if it’s not true this is just terrible optics for an organization you can’t I just don’t think you can have this uh around your organization. But aside from that, um, the funny thing about this is that prior to this report coming out, there was actually a report, and I I couldn’t find it before doing this. I don’t have a lot of time, so bear with me on that. But there was a report that said that they actually were on good standing with Zion because remember how they um kicked out Griff, brought in the new GM to basically either tied things over with Zion or pivot towards trading. They wanted to figure out what their next direction was. Well, apparently they were able to reconcile and the fact that Zion was there for the draft was apparently seen or I don’t want to say seen, but was a show of good faith for them and basically to show that they’re on good standing, right? And I think that makes sense. But then this comes out and then after that, we also get the report we’re going to talk about today because we’ve already gone longer on that topic than I wanted that they’re basically open to trading anybody. Now, we’ve long had this stance on the channel that if you’re a team, you need to have that stance anyway. You need to be willing to listen to offers and trade a player. If a good offer comes, that’s just how things go. It’s business and you make things work from there. Um, and they do have some good assets on their team, whether they’re young players that are still in development. Some guys have shown themselves to be good players like Alvarado, Jones, Murphy, um, McCollum. I don’t I mean sure Zion’s a good player but I just I’m not touching Zion. Like I said I just I can’t like he was an interesting guy where it’s like oh well maybe you could trade for Zion you know but I don’t know I just now you just if you are going to trade for Zion you got to wait for this old to blow over. Anyway they’ve got some guys. There are no untouchables in New Orleans. League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster. They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, namely Zion, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer depending on what opportunities become available. So, yeah, we’ll see what happens with all of that. Now, here’s a look at the salaries on this roster. Um, so they don’t they’ve actually got some like So, Bruce Brown is like off the books or he’s about to be. That was the last year of that deal. So, he’s going to be a free agent. Um, Murray’s making 30 million next season. McCllum also making 30 million, but McCollum is a 30 million expiring next year. So, that’s interesting. Zion is on the books for 39. But, by the way, if you’re not familiar with it, Zion’s salary is like the most ridiculously this is how you know he’s pro he’s got problems, man, because he’s got the most restricted contract you’re ever going to see. Like, I mean, feel free to like pause it and read this stuff or look up the stipulations in Zion’s contract. He basically is fighting for every dollar in that deal. It’s insane. It’s It’s really insane. So, while he’s on the books for 3940 million, I don’t know if he even gets that amount or half of it. I have to go back and look at it, but it’s crazy. Um, Herb Jones has still got another couple years on his salary at 14 15 million over the next couple years. Kelly Oolen is a 13 expiring. Trey Murphy is actually locked up. However, you’re giving about 100 million to Trey Murphy because he’s now getting paid for the next four years. That’s not terrible over over four years, assuming he just continues to at least stay the course or get better. I think that’s a good value. Um, but yeah, their their roster is mostly locked in. Alvarado’s got 4.5. Mostly locked in with the guys they they want to keep on to. So, they they could pivot away from some guys and make some moves with some of these guys, but unless you’re pivoting towards a rebuild, I don’t really see you going out of your way to train anybody that’s maybe not McCollum, Murray, um I I think it’s mostly those guys like McCollum and Murray are the two I think and particularly McCollum that I think that you should be mostly looking at. Again, Zion is in that group too, but who knows what happens with him. But yeah, those two specifically are the guys that you should be trying to go. But the thing is, teams are going to call relentlessly for your other two guys, Jones and Murphy. Teams are going to call relentlessly for Jones and Murphy. Um, so there’s that. And with these guys, you’ve got two like I I don’t know. Uh, like a pseudo 3D guy because he’s got some shooting ability, just not great. But he is a great defensive player. was fifth in defensive player of the year running in 23-24. Made a alldefense team as well that year. Great defensive player. Um he just wasn’t very healthy this year as well, only playing in 20 games, but great defensive player and one that you would love to have on your roster. Uh Jones or excuse me, Murphy has a lot more offensive pop in his game and he’s a far better shooter on volume and is a decent defender as well with good size, too. So, I would be really interested in either of these guys. But again, the thing is is with one one is on an artificially limited salary. Like Herb Jones got that deal based on where he was drafted and he would have probably made much more than that. It’s it’s basically the Austin Reeves situation. I think they’re on nearly an identical salary as well and are also expecting to get a near uh probably a near identical upgrade as well. But look at the offensive pop you’ve got here. 21 points per game this year, 53 games of course. So some health injuries with this entire team last year. We all knew about that. 57 the year prior though is not great. Um but eight threes per game down career low 36% from three but he has two seasons of 38 and 40 with good volume six and three or six and eight I guess you can I think rely on his shooting. I think he’ll be perfectly fine. Um and he’s got multiple seasons at 14 or so points per game. So maybe he’s somewhere in the middle 16 17 you know things like that. But I would probably imagine most people are trying to call for these two guys because you need all the wing depth you can get in today’s NBA. But I think that if you’re the Pelicans, you’re trying to hang on to these guys because they’re young enough to be a part of your core. They’re young enough and good enough to fit around whatever players can you can try to have on this team. And if you want to rebuild, that’s fine. The money’s got to go somewhere anyway. So, I mean, if you got to pay Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, then you just got to pay those guys. You got some other young guys on the books as well that you’re kind of looking at as well with Missy and Hawkins, I think you’ve got some stuff here. If that is the pivot, it’s just unfortunate to see the way that this all crumbled underneath their feet post AD trade where they were never really able to hold on to their guys. They drafted pretty great. If you go back and look at their draft draft record, they drafted pretty great. They just were never able to put it together health-wise and all that stuff. And you know, they got rid of Hart, they got rid of Lonzo, they got rid of some other guys in the mix here there, too. Um, but interesting situation they’re in. So, with the Pelicans, and what draft pick did they get this year as well if they had, by the way, if the Pelicans had got number one, uh, they would be they would be pretty uh pretty happy right now, of course. I don’t know which draft pick they got. I don’t remember, but I mean, they’re a lottery team, so they got it. So, in there somewhere. They also have the 11th most expensive roster this year. Wow. All right, guys. Let me know what you guys think about the Pelicans. What should they do? But yeah, if you’re a team, you’re probably calling for those two or you’re trying to steal one of the younger guys on their roster. Uh like an Antonio Reeves or something like that. But yeah, it’s uh it’s pretty bad out there in New Orleans.

In this video Donnie Freeman covers the new recent allegations against Zion Williamson, and what the Pelicans should do next with their roster.

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