It’s NBA Rumors season, and the Pelicans are eyeing a Nets guard as a backup plan to missing out on Kyle Lowry in free agency.
Among the many questions we all have as the NBA offseason approaches, two of them might provide a single answer.
Down on the bayou, the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to see if they can do what the Milwaukee Bucks just did and win a title with their homegrown superstar. Zion Williamson, much like his predecessor Anthony Davis, is already being subjected to rumors about which big market he’ll leave the Pelicans for when his contract expires.
David Griffin and Trajan Langdon have already pieced together one trade this offseason to try and position New Orleans to land a top free agent point guard.
That’s where the other shoe drops. Kyle Lowry enters free agency looking to chase one more ring, and the number of suitors interested is rather elite. From his hometown 76ers to the LeBron Lakers, Lowry’s talents will be in demand, which puts any interest the Pelicans have on the back burner.
According to Marc Stein, if the Pelicans plan to free up space to make a run at Lowry fails, they already have a backup plan in mind.
Given the understandable pessimism in circulation about the Pelicans’ ability to win the Lowry Sweepstakes in competition with a number of teams closer to true contention, New Orleans has also been increasingly mentioned as a likely suitor for Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie when free agency officially starts Aug. 2.
Dinwiddie is coming back from an ACL injury, which complicates his market. Reports have already linked him crosstown to the Knicks but New Orleans may offer a softer landing spot for a player trying to bounce back from major knee surgery.
Getting off to a rocky start on the bayou versus doing so with the Knicks seems like an easy choice.
New Orleans is turning gears, though, which is the main takeaway here. Whether or not their plans come to fruition is to be determined, but at least they have the appearance of knowing what they’re doing.