Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Wednesday that the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the teams to have expressed interest in Pelicans center Yves Missi. Trading for the 21-year-old center would make sense for LA, giving Luka Dončić a lob target, but not if the cost is a first-round pick, as Scotto wrote.
The Lakers have their 2031 or 2032 pick they could offer the Pelicans, but should they be willing to do that for a second-year center like Missi? You can see why that wouldn't be the best idea, and that's putting it nicely.
Pelicans reportedly want a first-round pick for Yves Missi
He averaged 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks last season in 26.8 minutes per game as a rookie, which earned him All-Rookie Second Team honors, but this season, he's averaging 5.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game. Missi has been a victim of New Orleans' midseason coaching change, as the Pelicans fired Willie Green in November and replaced him with James Borrego.
New Orleans should try to get the best possible offer for Missi, of course, but wanting a first-round pick for someone who is playing in a reduced role while still developing as an NBA player doesn't make the most sense. Then again, it is New Orleans.
The Pelicans seem to be banking on the hope that a team will be willing to pay that price, probably highlighting Missi's defensive versatility, rebounding prowess, and upside as reasons why. Still, it's hard to sell that high on a player who is out of your rotation.
By all means, the Lakers should still be interested in Missi, but not for that price. Scotto listed the Knicks, Pacers, Hawks, Celtics, Bulls, and Raptors as other teams interested in the center, so the demand is high, but that doesn't mean one of the above teams will meet the Pelicans' price point.
They're in no rush to trade him, anyway, but it'd benefit them to capitalize on Missi's current interest, which they could get in the way of doing. Truth be told, the Pelicans would be better off keeping Missi and making their top veterans available instead, as they haven't made any postseason noise over the past several years. But again, it's the Pelicans.
Missi is still worth monitoring with the deadline eight days away, but the odds of a trade happening dipped after Scotto's report.