Report: Pelicans Exploring Julius Randle, Nikola Mirotic Trades Before Deadline
The New Orleans Pelicans have examined the trade markets for veteran forwards Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein.
The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs have all shown some level of interest in Mirotic. However, the Pelicans are holding out for a first-round pick, which a source called "excessive" to O'Connor.
The NBA trade deadline expires at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, leaving Pelicans general manager Dell Demps little time to get any deals across the finish line.
Randle is averaging a career-high 19.9 points as well as 9.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Mirotic, meanwhile is averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range.
Although New Orleans has yet to move Anthony Davis, his trade request made a rebuild inevitable for the franchise. As a result, Demps is smart to gauge what kind of return he might be able to get for an experienced regular such as Randle or Mirotic.
Their contracts will limit the ceiling on any trade return, though. Mirotic is an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Randle has a player option worth just under $9.1 million in 2019-20. Based on his performance, it seems likely he'll want to hit free agency for the second offseason in a row.
The Cleveland Cavaliers traded Rodney Hood, another unrestricted free agent this summer, to the Portland Trail Blazers for Nik Stauskas, Wade Baldwin and a pair of second-round picks.
The Pelicans should be in asset accumulation mode. If they can replicate the Hood trade and flip Randle or Mirotic for draft picks, then that's better than losing them to free agency and getting nothing back.
