The Pelicans offered multiple trade packages to the Grizzlies for eventual All-Star point guard Ja Morant, back in 2019, when Morant was selected with the No. 2 overall pick, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
New Orleans ended up choosing power forward Zion Williamson with the No. 1 overall pick, and while he’s shown a major upside, he has been able to stay on the court. As Clark wrote, Williamson may need a second surgery on the foot that’s kept him out all season.
Anyway, back in 2019, the Pelicans were quite intrigued with the idea of pairing Morant and Williamson, and frankly, you couldn’t blame them. But it was not to be.
“The Pelicans offered the Grizzlies multiple packages that included the No. 4 pick, but all were rebuffed,” RealGM wrote.
Oh, there’s also this truth, per RealGM: “The Pelicans traded down from No. 4 instead of taking Darius Garland and ended up with Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Garland, like Morant, is an All-Star in his third season.”
It’s easy to look back and tell teams what they should have done nearly three years ago. But the draft is always a crapshoot, and anyone involved or who truly follows the NBA knows that. It’s an inexact science, and with a few exceptions, little more than a bunch of best-guesses.
Plus, the Pelicans still have some promise with the likes of Brandon Ingram and newly acquired guard CJ McCollum. They seem to be a player or two away from pretty good things. Maybe that player eventually will be a healthy Williamson.
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Where is this information coming from? Is Griffin’s front office trying to save face on questionable decisions?
“We wanted Morant but he just wasn’t available AFTER we picked somebody else.” Wait.. what?
We get it, you wanted the best players in the draft and would have liked to trade for many of them. So does every other team. Nobody ever does this successfully.
David Griffin if you’re reading… YOU selected Zion Williamson when that clock said it was time to pick. And it would have been unreasonable and irresponsible to expect to swing a deal for Morant in the following 5 minutes after that selection. End of story.
I am not even criticizing the pick. Just this apparent cover your ass excuse fest for the high level play of Ja Morant. Just shut up, man. You’re the ONLY other team that could have had him. Stop insulting people’s intelligence.