The New Orleans Pelicans have been trying to fashion themselves into a Playoff contender but have faced multiple setbacks over the last five years. They just faced another one in terms of recruiting, with former Pelican and current Knicks player Josh Hart telling Lil Wayne and Tom Brady at the Fanatics Fest that no player is excited when they get dealt to the Pelicans.
“I don’t think you’ll ever hear anyone say they were excited to be traded to New Orleans. I wasn't. The only thing I was excited about was rolling around New Orleans, listening to Lil Wayne, and going to every game.”
Hart is speaking from experience, as he was one of the three players sent to New Orleans from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019. Hart was a high-motor hustle player for the Lakers and played alongside LeBron James in his first season, but was dealt for Anthony Davis in the summer of 2019.
Hart would average 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds over two-and-a-half seasons with the Pelicans before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the C.J. McCollum trade which sent him to New Orleans. The Knicks would acquire the former Villanova Wildcat in 2023 and he's quickly established himself as an integral piece. Hart recently signed a four-year, $80.9 million extension.
While he has been gone from the city of New Orleans for three years, Hart clearly didn't enjoy his spell there given this snipe years later. His intention doesn't seem like it was to offend, but he ended up saying the quiet part out loud about many of the small-market cities in the NBA.
The Pelicans Haven't Been Able To Maximize Their Current Era
New Orleans is a beacon of culture but has never been an attractive destination for players. It's not preferable over bigger cities like New York, LA, Miami, or Chicago, while also lacking the pull of cities like Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and more. The city doesn't have a history of winning basketball either.
Since the franchise was brought to the city in 2011, the Pelicans have been mostly competitive. They drafted Anthony Davis in 2012, who gave the fans something to root for for seven seasons before being traded the same summer they drafted Zion Williamson. Zion was expected to be the next face of the NBA but has struggled with injuries since his first day in the NBA.
The overall lack of appeal and consistent basketball success would make the Pelicans a hard sell for any free agent. GM David Griffin has been trying to build the franchise through trades or the draft, with key players such as Zion, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III drafted by the team while McCollum, Dejounte Murray, and Brandon Ingram were all acquired via trade.
The team hasn't been able to break into the top six of the West in recent seasons, hoping that their acquisition of Murray this summer finally leads to more reliable play on the court.
