Jordan Hawkins' hefty salary and struggles to crack the rotation present a tricky dilemma for the Mew Orleans Pelicans. Can they find a trade partner?
The New Orleans Pelicans and Jordan Hawkins both seem to want to move on to different opportunities, but there could be a small issue with that.
Among the regrettable decisions made this offseason by the Pelicans' new front office, one of the most confusing ones was picking up the fourth-year option on Hawkins. Whoever employs the wing next year will now owe him just over $7 million.
Great for the player to have that money guaranteed, but teams would be right to be wary of setting aside that much for someone who can't crack the rotation on a 12-win New Orleans squad.
Hawkins hasn't played in the team's last four games and has seen his minutes cut drastically when he does make it onto the court. After averaging 23.6 minutes per night last year, he is down to 14.1 a night in season three.
The 23-year-old is averaging just 4.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists on 32.0/30.1/77.8 shooting splits. He's a net negative on defense and has exhibited poor shot selection. He has really stood out when he plays, in a bad way.
It's a shame, given his naturally smooth shot and some early potential.
Per Cleaning the Glass, this is where he ranks among qualified wings this year in several stats:
Points per shot attempt - 1st percentile
Assist to usage ratio - 11th percentile
Turnover rate - 40th percentile
Effective field goal percentage - 2nd percentile
2-point field goal percentage - 0th percentile
3-point field goal percentage - 24th percentile
He is someone who was supposed to be a sniper, but insists on shooting long mid-range shots and makes them at alarmingly low rates.
The Pelicans are a -4.7 net rating with him on the court.
It might feel like piling on someone at this point, but it's just to show how New Orleans backed itself into a corner by picking up that option.
The only real hopes are that they can complete another deal and add Hawkins on as a filler piece, or a team out there believes that they can unlock some of what the former UCONN Huskies star showed in the past.
The Pelicans have completely mismanaged him as a talent, and this is where it has gotten them. The only real negative situation they could find themselves in next is having to pay him $7 million next year while not being able to play him.
Hawkins will be a name to watch over the next week.