Which Contract Will New Orleans Pelicans Regret the Most?

CJ McCollum could be the contract that the New Orleans Pelicans regret the most on their roster.

Apr 24, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots a three-point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter of game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are one of two franchises that have never paid the luxury tax with the current way things are formatted. If that streak is going to continue, some moves will have to be made.

The move that everyone is waiting to see go down is Brandon Ingram being traded. Rumors have swirled all summer about him being on the trade block, but the team hasn’t found an offer they like.

Will that offer come at any point? In an ideal world, the Pelicans would flip Ingram for a center to shore things up in the frontcourt while clearing space on the wing for Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones to truly flourish.

While all of the attention has been on the former No. 2 overall pick, he isn’t the only veteran who could be looking at a change in roles for the 2024-25 season.

With how things are currently set up, CJ McCollum could be moved to a sixth-man role. Willie Green can only start five players, which means someone is going to the bench with the acquisition of Dejounte Murray.

Murray, Zion Williamson and as long as Ingram is on the team are locked into starting spots. Green prefers a traditional center, so unless a drastic move such as starting Williamson at the center is done, that is another starting spot occupied.

That leaves one spot for Murphy, Jones and McCollum. Given his age, it would be hard to imagine New Orleans committing a major role to him over their two emerging stars.

That is part of the reason why Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has named McCollum as the one contract that the Pelicans will regret the most. Out of 10, the NBA analyst gave the team a potential regret level of seven.

His deal isn’t unreasonable by any means with a salary of $33.3 million for the 2024-25 season and $64 million total remaining. But for a cap-conscious Pelicans team, that deal could be a detriment to keeping their younger players on the roster.

Ingram and Murphy are both currently extension eligible and no deals seem close with either player. Ingram has been mentioned as a candidate to be moved to afford Murphy, but the veteran shooting guard could fall into the same boat.

The team still has 2023 first-round pick Jordan Hawkins who could soak up minutes as well.

McCollum has proven that he can still average 20+ points per game. But, at 33 years old, he doesn’t exactly fit the team’s timeline any longer and that is a lot of money to be paying a player potentially coming off the bench.