New trade idea from Bleacher Report gives Pelicans perfect fit

When you get ten to fifteen games into an NBA season, teams’ needs become salient, and with that, trade ideas and proposals begin to emerge. This always makes for great content that fans love reading about and discovering who their favorite team should trade for.

In a recent Bleacher Report article titled “1 Trade Every NBA Team Would Make If the Deadline Was Today” Zach Buckley proposed an excellent trade idea for the Pelicans. In Buckley’s proposal, the Pelicans acquire Jarace Walker and two future second-round picks for Yves Missi.

When you look at the New Orleans Pelicans, it is clear that this team lacks some depth on the wing and needs three-point shooting as there is an influx of big men and guards on this roster. This was a concern of mine this year, but the talent of Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones could combat the minimal depth they have on the wing. However, given how Trey Murphy III has struggled offensively this season, adding another wing to this roster would bring a lot of value to this team.

Why Jarace Walker is a perfect fit for New Orleans

This was a big year for Jarace Walker as with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined for the entire season and Myles Turner leaving, Indiana needed players to step up. And if you look at his counting stats, he’s having a career year, but if you focus your eyes on his efficiency, it looks ugly. Walker shoots the ball under 33 percent from the field and under 30 percent from three, making him nearly unplayable for Rick Carlisle and the Indiana Pacers.

So why would the Pelicans shop for a struggling third-year player who can’t seem to throw a stone in the ocean right now? That’s because Jarace Walker is a former top-seven pick in the 2023 NBA draft and fits the mold of the modern NBA wing.

At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Walker has all the physical tools in the world to at least be a nice tool wing for the Pelicans’ second unit. His three-point shooting was also a notable strength before this season, as he shot 40 percent from beyond the arc on just over two attempts per game during his first two years.

The Pelicans rank eighth in three-pointers made per game, and bringing in a guy who was a 40 percent shooter in two of his three seasons could improve that. This team also needs players who can make stops. Aside from Jose Alvarado and Herb Jones, the team doesn’t really have anyone who poses a threat from the forward position.

So why wouldn’t New Orleans take a chance on him, especially when all they’re giving up is Yves Missi? I think Missi could be a solid starting center someday, but the Pacers are desperate for some kind of rim protection, so if Joe Dumars could take advantage of that and acquire Walker, he should. Walker has more potential and fills both a positional and skill need.