The Pelicans may look to part ways with center Yves Missi to acquire some more offensive firepower.
rapidly approaches, the New Orleans Pelicans face mounting pressure to make bold moves and address their league-worst record. Drastic changes are clearly needed for the roster. Early reports indicated that the Pelicans werethe Pelicans are interested in Pacers forward Bennedict Mathurin.
One possibility is including Pelicans center Yves Missi in a deal. Fischer describes the talks as an “incomplete deal framework.” Indiana, meanwhile, seeks an athletic center to complement Tyrese Haliburton next season upon his return from injury. Mathurin is in the final year of his rookie contract and is averaging a career-best 17.8 points per game. However, he has been sidelined since January 2nd due to a right thumb injury. The team has not specified an exact timetable for his return, but he has been doing individual workouts this week with the team. Mathurin will be a restricted free agent this summer, but the Pacers already have $177 million in guaranteed money on their books for next season, so Indiana may not have long-term plans for the 23-year-old. New Orleans could offer Missi plus either draft capital or a salary filler player to make the deal work. Missi has seen his minutes decrease in his second season, after having a promising rookie campaign last year. The Cameroon-born center appeared in 73 games last season, averaging 26.8 minutes, 9.1 points, and 8.2 rebounds per contest. With rookie Derik Queen’s emergence at center, Missi’s minutes now average 18.8, with 5.5 points per game. Interim coach James Borrego praises Missi’s growth, noting his late start in organized basketball at age 15 still impacts his development. “ screening has gotten better, offensively,” Borrego recently said after a practice. “He has definitely become a better screener. His angles, pressure on the rim, and his hands are getting better. That’s an area of growth and improvement for him.”“When the ball is in hands, making a play either at the rim or the second side, that part has slowed down. We are still working on it,” Borrego acknowledged. “We are not refined there, but overall it’s just making plays at both ends of the floor.” While Missi is still developing his game, Mathurin has become a consistent scorer in this league, especially at attacking the basket. He’s also shooting a solid 36.6% from beyond the arc, which is an Achilles heel of the Pelicans, who rank near the bottom of the league in three-point attempts and makes per game. Indiana has been looking for a rim-protector and finisher since former center Myles Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks last offseason. The Pacers rank 27th in the NBA in opponents' points per game in the paint, surrendering 53.7 a contest. Adding a shot blocker like Missi could help them in that regard, while the Pelicans could definitely use Mathurin’s outside shooting ability. A deal makes sense for both sides, and we’ll wait and see if it happens before the deadline next month.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Latest Ja Morant Report Saves the Pelicans From ThemselvesJa Morant's stance about his future could be doing a huge favor for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Read more »
Wizards Might Have Opportunity to Trade for Pelicans ForwardThis New Orleans Pelicans forward seems to be on the market, but will the Washington Wizards make a push for him ahead of the trade deadline?
Read more »
Zion Williamson Sweepstakes Heat Up As Bulls & Pelicans Engage in Trade TalksTrade conversations have reportedly started between the Bulls and the Pelicans for the former two-time All-Star.
Read more »
Pistons vs Pelicans Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA GameOur Pistons vs. Pelicans predictions believe Cade Cunningham will find plenty of passing lanes vs. the Pelicans' defense tonight. Free NBA picks for Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
Read more »
Pelicans Trade Deadline Outlook: Predicting Who Will Get Traded By February 5Will Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy get traded before the deadline?
Read more »
Pelicans' Rookie Micah Peavy Logs Career High Against PistonsNew Orleans' second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft class notched a new career high in the team's most recent contest.
Read more »