The events in New Orleans continue to be intriguing. First the Pelicans hired Willie Green, partly because of his reputation for working with talented players and forming bonds, something they’d like to see him do with former Duke star Zion Williamson.
Then the Pels pulled an interesting trade, sending Steven Adams and one-time Duke recruiting target Eric Bledsoe to Memphis, along with the number 10 pick in 2021 NBA Draft, the number 40 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a Protected 2022 first-round pick from the Lakers.
New Orleans got back center Jonas Valanciunas, the 10th and 40th picks in this year’s draft and a lot of cap space as Adams and Bledsoe both have large contracts.