Could This Former Top Pick Be a Viable Trade Option for New Orleans Pelicans?

If a former No. 1 overall pick becomes available, the New Orleans Pelicans have another option to pursue.

Mar 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dribbles against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into this season without a viable starting caliber center on their roster, however, there could be some options that become available for them.

Reports circulated on Sunday that former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton will most likely be traded this summer by the Portland Trail Blazers since they have a logjam at center after drafting talented UConn center Donovan Clingan in this year's NBA draft.

The Trail Blazers also have defensive-minded Robert Williams on the team, and with them nowhere close to contention, this spells the perfect opportunity to unload Ayton and get some valuable assets in return.

Could the Pelicans be the team to deal for the talented center?

New Orleans was the odds-on favorite to land Ayton earlier this summer.

After losing Jonas Valanciunas, Cody Zeller, and Larry Nance Jr. this offseason, the need for a center has become paramount for the Pelicans. They drafted Yves Missi in the first round of the draft and added some insurance by signing Daniel Theis to a one-year deal last month, but that isn't enough for a team looking to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Missi is viewed as a long-term project. The former Baylor standout doesn't have enough experience to be thought of as a player who can make an immediate impact. He's only played three years of organized basketball, so he will need plenty of reps to catch up with the speed of the game.

Theis is an undersized 6-foot-8 big man who is a power forward masquerading at the center position. He's not meant to be a long-term solution.

Any trade by New Orleans will have to include Brandon Ingram to match Ayton's $34 million contract.

Ayton is talented but struggles with consistent play. He averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds last season for the lowly Blazers. His points per game average was his lowest in the last three years.

“"At some point, the Blazers and Ayton are expected to part ways, sources said, yet the former first overall pick doesn't command a market at this time," NBA insider Brett Siegel reported.

He would easily be the best center on the current Pelicans roster, but with such a low market value, would they want to give up Ingram for him at this time?

It also goes against the comments David Griffin made during Summer League about the team being excited to play "smaller and quicker" this season.

Time will tell which way the Pelicans swing on a deal or not.

They were aggressive in trading for Dejounte Murray this summer, and Griffin vowed this would not be a summer of complacency.