Prioritizing Changes the Pelicans Need to Make
Priority #3: Move Anderson and Eric Gordon (Expiring Contracts)
Dec 25, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson (left) fouls Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (center) as Pelicans guard Eric Gordon (right) defends in the second half of a NBA basketball game on Christmas at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 94-88 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The thing about expiring contract is that they expire, and once they expire, they’re gone. You don’t get anything in return, and the player is free to do as they wish.
That means that unless Dell sees Anderson and Gordon as long-term fits with this team, (which I sincerely hope he doesn’t) he needs to move them THIS season in order to retain some value for having had them.
Neither of these players should be hard to move, if Ish smith is worth two 2nd rounders I lean towards the view that in the right trade these guys could be worth two, or at least one late first.
Anderson makes just 8 million this season, and he’s every teams dream power forward. In this era, everyone wants to space the hell out of the floor, and they will think Anderson is the answer to doing that.
Gordon makes more, about 15 million, so he might be worth less. Still, he was a 44% three-point shooter last season and I could see some team taking a chance on him being their missing piece on the wing. Teams like the Bulls have shown that they are desperately seeking a scoring/shooting wing, so the market clearly exists.
Teams I think would pick up the phone on Ryan Anderson: Bucks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Raptors, Pistons, Pacers, Hornets, Clippers, Wizards, Suns, Kings, and the Magic.
Teams I think would pick up the phone on Eric Gordon: Nets, Grizzlies, Bulls, Pacers, Bucks, Kings.
When I say “pick up the phone” I don’t mean “trade us their first round pick” I mean “pick up the phone.”
Still, that’s the first step. They’re expiring contracts of two great three-point shooters who won’t be difficult to move. It’s imperative we move them before we lose them for nothing.
The counter argument is that teams will be afraid of having to pay them the following summer, but with the amount of money that’s flying around this summer I don’t see that being an issue.
Since trading these two is my #3 priority, I would be willing to facilitate almost any trade for these two which doesn’t hamper out ability to also move Asik and hinder the value of our 2016 first rounder.
Next: Moving On Part 2