NBA Trade Deadline Passes With The Pelicans Making No Moves

New Orleans, LA - The 2024 NBA Trade Deadline expired at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, and the New Orleans Pelicans stood pat with their current roster. There was early speculation in the day that New Orleans and Atlanta discussed a deal surrounding Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, with the Pelicans having to part ways with Herb Jones per Atlanta's request. The alleged conversations fizzled out, and Murray ultimately stayed with the Hawks.

New Orleans is tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with a 30-21 record. Wednesday night's victory over the Los Angeles Clippers is arguably the Pels best win of the season. Los Angeles came into the game as the No. 1 seed in the West, winners of nine of their last ten games. The Pelicans posted an impressive wire-to-wire victory, never trailing for a second in the game. Games such as Wednesday's flash the potential New Orleans has when clicking.

Only the Boston Celtics have more double-digit wins (22) than the Pelicans have (21). The Celtics have the best record in the league at 39-12 and look like the favorite to win the Eastern Conference this season. The Pelicans have fared well overall against the better teams in the league, posting an 18-14 record versus teams currently above .500. The front office may not be as hasty to make a move because they don't know what this team looks like whole for an entire season.

Before the start of the year, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson had only played a combined ten games together. Rushing the process of continuity and development is not what the Pelicans are known for. Since Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin took the job in 2019, three of the five NBA trade deadlines saw New Orleans make no moves. One of the deals made in 2022 saw guard CJ McCollum and Larry Nance, Jr acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans did make a small move earlier in the year by sending Kira Lewis Jr to the Raptors in a cost-savings move to put them under the salary cap. 

Just because the Pelicans didn't make any trades before the deadline doesn't mean they are finished improving the team. Their roster stands at 13, with NBA laws requiring them to have at least 14 contracts. New Orleans could be in the buyout market to improve rim protection with the likes of Robin Lopez available. They could also improve backup depth with the addition of players like Spencer Dinwiddie or Cory Joseph. Or the Pelicans can promote within by converting forward Matt Ryan's two-way contract to a standard one by season's end.

New Orleans showed at the deadline they are comfortable with the core group of players now to try to make a deep playoff push. Last season ended in disappointment with a Play-In Tournament loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This summer involves some uncertainty with the free agency of Jonas Valanciunas and Naji Marshall. For now, the Pelicans' focus is on competing in the crowded Western Conference for a chance at the franchise's first championship.