You're David Griffin. How do you rebuild the Pelicans with Zion?

[provecy15]

I'm listening to offer for Anthony Davis. Persoanlly I think the Celtics and Knicks can offer the best package ( Ingram and Ball are injury prone, especially with BI's blood clots)

[provecy15]

Trading AD to the east would be a smart move. If he is going to the Knicks, I want the third pick ( RJ Barrett to pair with Zion) Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Dameyon Doytson.

[jpengland]

They are in a pretty good position.

Outside of Jrue and the pick, they have no committed money past next year.

If you assume AD can't be persuaded to stay, you cash in on whatever you can get for him and Jrue.

I'd be looking at Tatum, Brown and two first rounders for AD.

Then I'd look to trade Jrue to the Magic for Aaron Gordon and the 16th pick.

You then have a core of..

Tatum
Brown
Gordon
Zion

And a whole bucket load of picks.

You take on bad veteran money for draft picks, and just look to draft well and add good players where you can.

[gpoon]

trade AD for as much picks/young talent as you can... its gonna take a couple years for Zion to develop...

[drchaos]

Send the malcontents packing (AD and Holliday) and go with the youth movement. Secure one all star and a bunch of draft picks. Go hard after Proky next year in free agency.

[Domejandro]

Keep Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday and clear Solomon Hill (and E'Twaun Moore, if needed) to sign an additional, quality free-agent (or a collection of quality role-players), realizing that this is likely your one chance to have a core this good.

[canadiansporter]

Best option is probably making a move with Boston, if they're still in the game for AD.

Try and get Tatum and Brown, if possible. Just that is enough to build around.

Jrue
Brown
Tatum
Zion
Plug in any Center

Then build out the bench. Jrue, Brown, and Zion can all play very well off ball as well. Think you'd have a nasty team in a couple years. And as they develop, could always move one of them for experienced players - as the cap you'll be paying out will be ridiculous once the 3 young guys contracts come to an end

[RoyceDa59]

It's the most obvious / standard rebuild.

Step 1. Draft Zion

Step 2: Trade AD and Jrue for as much young proven talent plus high draft picks as possible.

Step 3: From the savings in salary, invest in an elite scouting and drafting team and have them all over the world at all times finding the hidden gems.

Step 4: Tank for another couple years to get 2 more elite draft picks of your own.

Step 5: Put the pieces together around Zion + haul from AD/Jrue trades

Step 6: Win championships.

In 5 years Pelicans could be STACKED if Zion is what we think he is and if they make the right trades / draft picks.

Hardest part will not be the trades, I think they'll LOOT whoever they trade AD too. The hardest part will be making sure you maximize the draft picks and pick the right coach. If they can do that they're in a great spot.

[JXL]

-Trade AD to the East.

Only teams viable for AD are the Celtics and Knicks. Celtics package today looks underwhelming but still a bit stronger than the Knicks package. Tatum and Smart are really good pieces because they're proven talents. If the Celtics can move both those guys, plus their 3 picks and next year's Memphis pick for AD, that's a real good haul for the Pelicans. Especially over the Knicks #3 pick (which will be RJ Barrett), Knox, Dennis Smith Jr and Mitch Robinson with Dallas' 2021 unprotected pick in tow.

- Get real shooters.

They need shooters. Period.

- Get a real mascot.

That big baby head in Smoothie King Center scares me.

[walk with me]

Ad to the knicks for the 3 pick, future picks and Mitchell Robinson
Jrue to the pelicans for batum, this years pick and future picks

Over pay end of the bench vets to make sure the young pups adjust to nba life properly

[cdubbz]

Trade AD to the East for young assets and picks. Get some veterans on the team to teach Zion.

[chrisab123]

-Trade AD to the East.

Only teams viable for AD are the Celtics and Knicks. Celtics package today looks underwhelming but still a bit stronger than the Knicks package. Tatum and Smart are really good pieces because they're proven talents. If the Celtics can move both those guys, plus their 3 picks and next year's Memphis pick for AD, that's a real good haul for the Pelicans. Especially over the Knicks #3 pick (which will be RJ Barrett), Knox, Dennis Smith Jr and Mitch Robinson with Dallas' 2021 unprotected pick in tow.

- Get real shooters.

They need shooters. Period.

- Get a real mascot.

That big baby head in Smoothie King Center scares me.

Celtics package is pretty good. Especially when you add in the Memphis pick next year. The mascot is probably the real reason AD wants out. Stuff of nightmares

[SFour]

I'm trading AD to either Lakers, Knicks, Celtics....there is no way I'm keeping him and trying to wrinkle things out. They got a gift from the basketball gods in Zion, their rebuild will be over very fast, just trade AD and start it NOW. Let the bidding wars begin

[SK21209]

Trading AD to the east would be a smart move. If he is going to the Knicks, I want the third pick ( RJ Barrett to pair with Zion) Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Dameyon Doytson.

Without even considering other offers, a lineup of Holiday/Barrett/Knox/Zion/Robinson seems like a lot of fun. I'd probably want to move Holiday for a younger point guard prospect/picks, but they could also use a veteran to mentor RJ.

[FNQ]

Trade AD to the NYK for Mitchell Robinson, #3 (RJ Barrett), and the choice between the Knicks and Mavs 1st in 2020. Can include DSJ or Knox but if so, flip them, don't really need either.

Make a huge push to sign Khris Middleton in the offseason.

Re-sign Payton, and try and retain Randle (hopefully he'd opt in).

Jrue / Payton
Barrett / Moore / Bertans
Middleton / K. Williams / Hill
Zion / Randle / K. Williams
M. Robinson / Okafor / Randle / Wood

Having that, plus 2 1sts in 2020, is a damn good start. That's an elite defensive starting 5 with some offensive potential as well. If they could nab someone like Lou Williams as a 6th man, or any solid-efficiency volume scorer to be a 6th man, I'd liken this kind of team to the Spurs.

[coldfish]

AD is 25. You keep him.

Dump a contract using a future first, sign Butler or someone, get ring chasers, win titles.

Jrue
Butler
ring chaser
Zion
AD

Is a really nasty team. Not sure why people want to make this so hard. If Zion pans out, few teams will ever be able to say they have players as young and talented as Zion and AD playing next to each other. You could put that team together and contend for 7 years.

[Rafael122]

Convince Paul and Davis that staying in New Orleans probably increases their chances at building something as Houston, Golden State, OKC, etc either get older and start losing players b/c of the cap.

I've got them at around $90 million in salaries, assuming Randle opts out, Williamson's salary, and assuming they pick up the deals of Christian Wood, Frank Jackson, Kenrich Williams, and Dairis Bertans. And why wouldn't you? It's cheap depth. So they got roughly $18 million to spend after renouncing the remaining players. That doesn't put them in the tier 1 free agent category, but that's Tobias Harris territory, possibly Middleton territory or they could split the money and go after a JJ Redick and someone else.

Williamson changes everything for Davis' camp. Why go to LA who will trade half their team and an extra pick or two to play with a 35 year old Lebron James?

[Heat3]

Trade Zion for Lebron.

[Texas Chuck]

Keep Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday and clear Solomon Hill (and E'Twaun Moore, if needed) to sign an additional, quality free-agent (or a collection of quality role-players), realizing that this is likely your one chance to have a core this good.

This is the play I'd love to see. I don't think we will because I think New Orleans will feel like they have to get something back for AD, but if you knew he'd give it his all even if he planned on walking, if Zion is really what many think he is right away, and you could add a 4th piece by clearing out some dead weight, that's a really interesting team immediately.

What I expect is for Griffin to cave to Paul/AD and send him to a team he wants to go to for a pitiful return, they ask Jrue to stay and be the leader of a young, bad team and what could have been never is.

[EricAnderson]

If you can’t convince Davis to stay trade him for the best package of young players/ picks

Trade Jrue for the same and be patient and surround him with young talent he can grow with.

Don’t do what you did with AD where you tried to win too quickly and traded young players and picks for veterans