The New Orleans Pelicans fell well short of their postseason goals last season, finishing with just 21 wins. While that wasn’t enough for the Pels to be convinced to move off from head coach Willie Green after four seasons, now it may be time for some significant roster changes.
Specifically, [Yahoo Sports’ NBA insider Kevin O’Connor](https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/?view=default&board=0&filter=round%3Aall&utm_content=buffer8d20a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer)‘s sources indicate that the Pelicans are “aggressively” trying to trade up toward the top of the 2025 NBA Draft. The Pelicans currently hold the seventh overall pick in the first round, but they have an additional collection of young players and future draft picks that could be used to target the draft prospect they covet the most.
> “League sources continue to cite the Pelicans as a team aggressively looking to move up in the draft, with most front-office executives believing Bailey is the target of new general manager Joe Dumars.”
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> Kevin O’Connor on New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans aren’t ready to move on from former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, so whoever they draft will be expected to develop alongside the potential superstar. Plus, the Pels still have other tantalizing talents like Trey Murphy III, Yves Missi, and Herbert Jones.
Would a core built around Ace Bailey, Williamson, and whoever remains from the other aforementioned athletes be enough for the Pelicans to return to the playoffs? They’ll need a bit of help and good health first.
**Related: [Two Western Conference teams taking charge in Kevin Durant trade](https://sportsnaut.com/nba/timberwolves-spurs-kevin-durant-trade-frontrunners/)**