With their loss on Monday the Pelicans were swept by the Thunder. The loss of Zion ended up being too much for them to overcome to take even a single game.
Here’s how their offseason is shaping up:
**Projected Cap Space with Cap Holds/Accept Options: **-$62,909,665
Maximum Cap Space (i.e. without Cap Holds/Decline Options): -$3,009,334
Cap Holds
Options
Draft Picks
1st Round
2nd Round
Outlook
The pelicans will go into the offseason with some major changes seemingly on the horizon. David Giffin has said "This is not going to be a summer of complacency. It’s time to get better.”
They have some first round picks (including their own this draft) they can potentially make trades with and will likely go that route since they will be over the cap.
Zion has missed 194/308 games but played a career high 70 games this season before getting injured in the play in game against the Lakers. He has looked much more fit this year and was starting to really hit his stride towards the end of the season including the play in game against the Lakers. Even with the season ending injury the Pelicans seemed to see enough good that they are not expected to look to move him.
BI came back to play hurt, he got torched, and the fans hated him for it. Zion checks himself out a big time game, and people don’t seem to mind.
I am not trying to downplay Z’s injury, but we had a frustrating end to a historically good season for New Orleans. It seems the Pels are destined for continued mediocrity lest BI, Trey, and Herb take some big steps forward.