With the New Orleans Pelicans’ season now over, attention will turn to the off-season and how to make sense of their roster. The Pelicans dramatically underperformed thanks to injuries and now find themselves at a crossroads. They have become increasingly expensive but are no closer to contending for a championship.
As a result, New Orleans will likely have to move on from several veterans and start fresh, and the only way to do that is by making a major trade this summer. With a new GM, the odds of that happening only increase, and a proposed three-team blockbuster involving the Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, and Milwaukee Bucks could shake up each team.
The Spurs and Bucks are in different positions from the Pelicans. The Spurs are on the rise and could take a big leap toward contention by making a trade for another star this summer.
A Pelicans, Spurs, and Bucks 3-team trade could shake up each franchise.
The Spurs already have an incredibly promising young core that features a potential top-three player in the NBA in Victor Wembanyama, an All-Star in De’Aaron Fox, and a Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle. Nevertheless, they still have the flexibility to make another big trade to maximize their considerable asset pool. Moreover, they could look to do so this summer with so many stars expected to be available.
Doing so would allow them to rocket up the Western Conference standings, going from 11th in the West this season to potentially being a top-six team next season. Perhaps even higher, depending on who they land.
That might seem like too ambitious a goal for a team that is still rebuilding. However, with Wembanyama entering his third season, the time is now for them to be aggressive in hopes of winning a championship while he is still on a cheap, rookie-scale contract.
Meanwhile, the Bucks have already been a contender but clearly aren’t that any longer after yet another playoff disappointment. Milwaukee has already won a championship and an in-season tournament, but success over the last four seasons has been middling at best.
They lost in the first round three of the last four years, and that likely doesn’t sit well with their best player. Worse yet, if they don’t make a big trade this summer to rebuild, they could be even worse next season, with Damian Lillard expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season.
This almost certainly means they will have to rebuild over the summer, potentially trading their best player and starting a new era for their franchise. It would be the end of an era for the Bucks, but perhaps the beginning of a newer one for Milwaukee.
They, like the Pelicans, may be forced to trade a star this summer, with a potential three-team swap possibly helping each team. Next up, we take a look at the trade details. After that, we will see whether the team makes sense for the Pelicans, Spurs, and Bucks, starting with the Spurs, followed by the Pelicans, and then the Bucks. Stay tuned!
