So What Now?

The Pelicans have full control of their 2026 first-round pick. Barring a complete collapse of the Indiana Pacers next season, they will have two first-round picks due to the rights to swap picks with the Milwaukee Bucks. The value of the Bucks' pick swap is hanging by a thread, with zero indications of a trade request from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. With recent reports from NBA Insider Kevin O'Connor stating that the Pelicans are reportedly "aggressively" pursuing the number three pick in this year's draft, in hopes of selecting Rutgers Scarlet Knights' Ace Bailey, along with a plethora of other rumors among insiders, one has to wonder... Are the Pelicans the most interesting team of the summer?

Let's Play 2K!

Ace Bailey has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft. His freakish athleticism, coupled with his shot-making from midrange, is almost too tantalizing to pass up on if you can get him for the right price. A team executive may be a little hesitant to include Herb Jones in this deal for such a raw talent, due to Jones' ability to affect the game in multiple facets. Also, Jones is on one of the most team-friendly contracts in the entire NBA. With that being said, General Manager Dylan, reporting for duty. Instead of including Herb Jones in this deal, here is my proposed deal...

76ers Receive: Jordan Hawkins, Pelicans 2025 First Round Pick(7), Indiana Pacers 2026 First Round Pick(Top 4 Protected)

Pelicans Receive: 76ers 2025 First Round Pick(3), Andre Drummond

Full disclaimer: I absolutely hate the idea of trading Jordan Hawkins. With the Pelicans' pursuit of Bailey and CJ McCollum's mainstay on the roster, it would be most advantageous for Hawkins and the Pelicans to go their separate ways. Veteran Andre Drummond brings a defensive presence at the center position that the Pelicans have not had since the Anthony Davis era. He could also serve as a mentor to All-Rookie Second Team center Yves Missi. This deal will send Hawkins just over four hours away from the University of Connecticut, where he starred for the Huskies en route to a national championship.

Jeremiah Fears Loading...

If the Pelicans are unable to secure pick three and Bailey doesn't fall to seven, all arrows point to Jeremiah Fears being the preferred pick. The 6'3" combo guard out of Oklahoma has had a brilliant pre-draft process. His shot-making ability and quick-twitch movements resemble those of Kemba Walker in the early years of his career. Fears' scoring ability will keep defenders up at night, once he develops his NBA body frame and gets comfortable within the flow of the game. His demeanor is oddly extremely similar to that of Kemba as well: a man of principle, and extreme confidence. Fears is quoted as saying that he's most looking forward to playing against Anthony Edwards his rookie season. When asked further how he thought his rookie season would pan out, his simple response was, "I'mma kill, in the games and in practice." That level of confidence, coupled with his talent, gives one a reason to be excited about the potential of Fears' talent translating to the NBA. When asked about his high school matchup against projected first overall pick Cooper Flagg, Fears acknowledged that Flagg's team got the best of him. He then shifted quickly to looking forward to their incoming summer league matchup and said, "On the bigger stage, it's really time to go."

With the NBA Draft approaching, the Pelicans have signaled that last year’s performance was unacceptable. Joe "Officer" Dumars is poised to streamline the team's progression while preparing for a possible complete rebuild. The question remains: Are the Pelicans ready to make bold moves, or will we face another quiet offseason? It all starts with what happens on Wednesday, June 25th and Thursday, June 26th.