Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us Offseason Rebuild Plan (3 trades and 2 draft picks) | Pelicans
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Offseason Rebuild Plan (3 trades and 2 draft picks)

Posted on 4/2/26 at 12:27 pm
Posted by DLBalla
Member since Jul 2018
234 posts
Posted on 4/2/26 at 12:27 pm
* Mock Draft via Mock Lottery below or at this link: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/pelicans/mock-drafts/6p6ameXfqVKf5K/pels-go-rebuild-draft
----

Trade 1:

MIL trades: pick #10 + Kuzma + Sims + G. Harris
NOP trades: Herb Jones + Missi + Hawkins + pick #58 (via DET via NYK via Alvarado trade)

Bucks reload to contend again for Giannis, Giannis signs extention and submits to being a Buck for life and trying his best with the added talent.

Pels/Weaver/Dumars sees an opportunity to get back in the draft and pivot to a retooling around their new young core.

Bucks 2026/27:

Turner/ Missi
Giannis/ Portis
Herb/ Dieng/ Prince
KPJ/ Green/ Trent Jr./ Hawkins
Rollins/ FA

-----

Trade 2:

CHA trades: pick #16 + Bridges + Salaun
NOP trades: Zion + Matkovic

Hornets make a push with their newfound success, adding a top paint driver/scorer who has seemingly found a path to sustained health, from the Carolinas. Zion should thrive alongside elite shooting. Matkovic is a solid lob+3 big to add to their frountcourt.

Pels/Weaver/Dumars finally turn the page from the Zion era, resetting with solid assets and a stopgap in Bridges with Michigan ties.

Hornets 2026/27:

Diabate/ Kalkbrenner/ Matkovic
Zion/ G. Williams
Miller/ McNeeley
Kon/ J. Green/ Sion
LaMelo/ White/ Mann

------

Trade 3: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/pelicans/trades/uE-JVYa_cVi-LR/3way

TOR trades: Barrett, Dick
TOR gets: D. Murray

SAC trades: Monk, Hunter
SAC gets: Barrett, Dick, Looney

NOP trades: D. Murray, Looney
NOP gets: Monk, Hunter

Raptors swap the awkward fit in Barrett for a true table-setting PG in Murray who can bring some dawg-ness for Toronto.

Kings get off the extra Monk year contract for all expirings, taking a flier on Perry draftee Barrett and a try-out for Gradey D.

Pels/Weaver/Dumars grants Murray's wish to be traded to a playoff-contending situation, getting Monk who will accept a 6th man role, and Hunter, another expiring wing.

Raptors 2026/27:

Poeltl/ CMB/ Steinbach
Barnes/ Mamu
Ingram/ Battle
Quickley/ Walter
Murray/ Shead
---

Kings:

Sabonis/ Raynaud/ Cardwell
Dybantsa/ Precious
Keegan/ Clifford
Barrett/ Lavine?
Westbrook/ D. Carter

*(DeRozan waived for 10m guaranteed)
--

"With the 10th pick in the 2026 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select.... Aday Mara, out of Michigan University."

Weaver is back collecting Centers again, shocking the NBA world with a seeming overreach pick. The logic goes: if Queen is the longterm 4, not long or athletic enough to play the 5 full-time--- then lets pair him with a lid-on-the-rim lob-threat a la Zach Edey. Mara fits the bill there. Wonky, but fun fit with Queen and Fears.


"With the 16th pick in the 2026 NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select..... Chris Cenac, out of the University of Houston.

Another shocker, with Weaver picking yet another big man. But after trading away both Missi and Matkovic in draft trades, they double down on their own new, athletic stock of bigs to develop, as he did in Detroit with Duren and Stewart (and Wiseman and Bagely...). Cenac adds athleticism to the frontcourt and stretch 3-pt. potential if they can re-work his shot selection. Rumor has it that Pelicans' scouts were at many Houston games this year-- Cenac seems the obvious target. Bonus PR angle that he's from New Orleans.

----------------------
Free agency: re-sign DeAndre Jordan as 15th man/ mentor player-coach.

Extension:
extend Saddiq Bey to a 3 year, 45 mil. extension (15-17m per year?)


Pelicans go into 2027 submitting to a rebuilding timeline, focused on Fears, Queen, Murphy, and Mara as cornerstones, with a few wildcard flier prospects (Salaun, Cenac), some good veterans in place to stay somewhat competitive (Monk, Bridges, Hunter), and a few wildcard saboteurs to keep them in tank range (Poole, Kuzma). They have multiple big expirings to maneuver with at the deadline in Poole, Hunter and Kuzma, and should be in line for a top pick in 2027 (Cam Williams, Stokes, Branch, ?)


Pelicans 2026/27 roster:


Queen/ Mara/ Cenac/ Jordan
Bridges/ Hunter/ Cenac
Bey/ Kuzma/ Salaun
Murphy/ McGowens
Fears/ Monk/ Poole


----

2026 NBA Mock Lotto + Draft: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/pelicans/mock-drafts/6p6ameXfqVKf5K/pels-go-rebuild-draft

1) SAC- Dybantsa
2) DAL- Boozer
3) BKN- Peterson
4) UTA- Wilson
5) WAS- Wagler
6) LAC- Flemings
7) ATL- Burries
8) MEM- Acuff
9) CHI- Mikel Brown Jr.
10) MIL- * TRADE
MIL trades #10, Kuzma, Sims, G. Harris
to NOP for
Herb Jones, Missi, Hawkins, #58
10) NOP- Mara
11) GSW- Mullins
12) PDX- Philon
13) MIA- Lendenberg
14) MEM- Ament
15) OKC- Quaintance
16) CHA- *TRADE
CHA trades #16, Bridges, Salaun
to NOP for
Zion, Matkovic
17) TOR- Steinbach
18) CHA- Peat
19) OKC- Stirtz
20) SAS- Karim Lopez
21) DET- Haugh
22) ATL- Carr
23) PHI- Ngongba II
24) NYK- Morez Johnson Jr.
25) DEN- Veesaar
26) LAL- Dailyn Swain
27) BOS- Yessoufou
28) MIN- Chirstain Anderson
29) CLE- Tanner
30) DAL- Bidunga
Posted by ghost2most
Member since Mar 2012
7895 posts
Posted on 4/2/26 at 1:27 pm to
I hate Kuzma so can't do 1.

I'd do 2.

3 no thanks
Posted by goatmilker
Castle Anthrax
Member since Feb 2009
76133 posts
Posted on 4/2/26 at 1:34 pm to
Double helping of #2 please.
Posted by LSUBALLER
Louisiana
Member since Jul 2013
21534 posts
Posted on 4/2/26 at 4:40 pm to
Boooooooooooooooooo
Posted by SenGooner
Member since Feb 2026
56 posts
Posted on 4/3/26 at 12:12 am to
I applaud the time and effort you put in here
Posted by Colonel Flagg
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2010
23479 posts
Posted on 4/3/26 at 6:05 am to
I would rather run it back
Posted by Silverfoxx
Member since Mar 2016
1168 posts
Posted on 4/3/26 at 9:17 am to
Actually love this type of thinking and effort. I would do this. Would be better than fricking running it back
Posted by RUFshreve
Shree'pote
Member since Jul 2016
3098 posts
Posted on 4/3/26 at 5:51 pm to
This took alot of time and effort, so I'll applaud that while saying I hate the outcome.

But in reality, Dumars already did so much damage last off-season, that this one would be much less painful. So I could stomach it, but it wouldn't inspire any excitement. You're getting rid of every decent player other than Trey and Fears.
Posted by Delusional
Member since Dec 2018
6634 posts
Posted on 4/3/26 at 7:00 pm to
Rebuilds are rarely pretty. I'd still watch but my expectations would be zero with that roster.

Props to OP for putting this together. Must have taken several hours.
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