3 players unlikely to return to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 2021-22 NBA Season

The Stan Van Gundy firing on Wednesday may be the start of a lot of shaking up of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in their hopes of building a winner around Zion Williamson.

Aside from the coaching change, the Pelicans front office is expected to make major changes to the team’s roster. The changes come after a disastrous 2020-21 season that saw a talented squad finish the year with a 31-41 record and outside the playoff picture.

Despite having a core of the uber-talented Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, the New Orleans Pelicans were better than only three teams in the Western Conference (they were tied with the Sacramento Kings).

The New Orleans Pelicans have been unable to put together the right elements to make Zion Williamson and his family happy, per @TheAthleticNBA "Multiple sources have told The Athletic that certain family members want Williamson on another team." 😳 pic.twitter.com/6kfWYLqX4V

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) June 17, 2021

A change in the New Orleans Pelicans roster

New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin has plenty of work to do to turn their team into a winning squad. Aside from the coaching change, there are players who Griffin will likely choose to let go of in the hopes of transforming their team into a playoff contender.

There are a number of free agents on the roster, including restricted free agents Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, unrestricted free agents James Johnson, Willie Hernangomez, James Nunnally, and they have a club option on Didi Louzada.

There’s a chance that one or more players from this group will be gone from the roster by next season. Then again, there could also be a player or two from those under contract who may not return to the Pelicans, too.

Let’s take a look at the 3 players most likely to be dealt or let go of before the start of the 2021-22 NBA season:

3. Steven Adams

Montrezl Harrell #15 shoots over Steven Adams #12.

The Athletic reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are likely to move on from two players in their starting lineup from the 2020-21 season. One of the players mentioned was Steven Adams.

The 6-foot-11, 265-pound center averaged a six-year low 7.6 points with 8.9 rebounds during the recent regular season. He’s due to make $17 million next season which is a huge sum considering his lack of production.

Although the New Orleans Pelicans ranked first in the NBA in offensive rebounding, second in points in the paint, plus second in rebounding percentage with Adams and Williamson on the roster, their success underneath didn’t necessarily translate into wins.

With a new coach headed to town in the coming weeks or months, it’s likely that the New Orleans Pelicans will move on from Adams and find a more complementary player.

Either Jaxson Hayes or Willy Hernangomez will take over at center, or they’ll get a backup forward who can provide quality minutes behind Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

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2. Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe #5 scrambles for a loose ball with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1.

Eric Bledsoe is the other player reported by The Athletic to be on his way out of the New Orleans Pelicans if they can find a trade partner for him. Bledsoe just didn’t complement the stars. He had a 3-point percentage of 34.1 percent this past season that doomed the Pelicans’ offense.

Moreover, despite his reputation as one of the top defenders at the guard position, Bledsoe struggled defensively this season as well, owning a 114.8 defensive rating which was second-worst on the squad.

For someone who will be earning $18 million next season, these are not the numbers that the New Orleans Pelicans want from their shooting guard. But the only way Griffin might be able to find a taker for him is if he includes a second-round pick.

This will test Griffin’s resolve during the summer to see how much he really wants to unload Bledsoe’s contract.

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1. Lonzo Ball

Lonzo Ball #2 in action.

There is belief that Lonzo Ball could return to the New Orleans Pelicans with a contract worth $85 million over four years. Ball, however, will have a number of suitors this summer. The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are probably going to be among the first to come calling once free agency starts.

And there’s a chance that the Pelicans may want to move on from Ball as well.

Report: New York #Knicks and #Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball have ‘mutual interest’. pic.twitter.com/FIcDZESDG4

— NBA Analysis Network (@HoopAnalysisNet) June 17, 2021

The former No. 2 overall pick has missed a significant number of games in his four years in the league due to various injuries. As good as he has become as a shooter, and as good as the New Orleans Pelicans were when he played alongside Ingram and Williamson, Ball has missed 31 percent of his team’s games.

Are the Pelicans going to be paying that much money to a player who will only be around for them 69 percent of the time? That remains to be seen, and it will be an interesting discussion in the New Orleans Pelicans front office about how much they value Ball’s potential contributions over the next few years.

More than likely, they'll find another point guard who could become part of their core team of young players.

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