NBA Expert Mentions Multiple Centers New Orleans Pelicans Can Still Target in Trade

Opportunities to add a center could emerge for the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2024-25 NBA season.

Feb 7, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

With just over a week until the 2024-25 NBA regular season tips off, the New Orleans Pelicans still don’t have clear-cut answers on how they are going to handle things at the center position.

Veteran Daniel Theis has started both preseason games, which could be the route Willie Green takes with Trey Murphy sidelined and nursing a hamstring injury. Behind him on the depth chart is rookie Yves Missi.

That is far from an ideal situation, especially for a team that has playoff aspirations as the Pelicans do.

Alas, filling that hole is easier said than done.

The team has assuredly been seeking out upgrades, but nothing has materialized. The asking price for some of the players they have been linked to is astronomically high and not worth meeting.

For now, it looks like the core of the New Orleans roster for the regular season is set. That means Brandon Ingram is going to be a starting forward next week against the Chicago Bulls.

His name has been mentioned in trade rumors for months, but his market has been ice-cold. All the reasons the Pelicans are hesitant to commit to him long-term can be applied to other teams around the league.

But, that could all change if he gets off to a hot start this season. On an expiring deal, his value will increase with solid play. And by all accounts, he is bought in and playing excellently in practice.

Who could emerge as a suitor for the former All-Star while providing New Orleans a chance to address their center spot? Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report has shared a few options that could emerge during the season.

“The Atlanta Hawks may want to move Clint Capela if Onyeka Okongwu looks ready to take over. Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets will become trade-eligible on December 15.

It's also worth keeping an eye on Myles Turner as he enters the final year of his contract with the Indiana Pacers, a team that's already paying two max players,” the NBA expert wrote.

All three of the teams could have varying degrees of interest in Ingram depending on how things unfold for them in the early going. December 15th is a big date in the NBA because it is when some of the players who signed contracts this past summer become eligible to be traded.

The market for their talented wing player could expand at that point, especially if he is playing well. 

Of course, New Orleans could just opt to keep him at that point if the team is performing to not ruin the chemistry. But, he is their best chance to bring in a starting-caliber big man to round out their rotation.