Four First Round Options New Orleans Pelicans Could Trade Up For

The New Orleans Pelicans are a wildcard when it comes to the NBA draft. They don't currently have a first-round pick, but don't count them out, as they have shown that they are not afraid to make an aggressive move to get back in.

"We definitely have a chance to [trade into the first round]. You can always move, you know, when it comes around draft time. It's amazing the amount of phone calls you take just in terms of being able to move in the first, second, move out," said president of basketball operations Joe Dumars earlier this offseason.

Before mapping out a trade to get back into the first, they have to decide which players are worth trading for. Here are four different mid-first-round options in four different archetypes for this draft:

Carr was one of the biggest winners of the NBA combine, as he now has elite length to pair with his potential as an elite off-ball threat from deep. He's going to be a favorite for many NBA teams. He dominated the combine scrimmage and shot 6-of-12 from deep with seven rebounds. That makes him sound like the perfect player to add to this  Pelicans roster.

Guard depth and creators are near the bottom of the list in terms of needs, but Philon is a talented player and could be a good offensive fit next to Jeremiah Fears, so he would be a sensible add.

The sophomore put up 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists on 50.1/39.9/79.8 shooting splits on his way to becoming an All-America third team member. That 39.9% from three came on 6.2 attempts per game. 

Johnson made himself a lot of money at the combine. He showcased defensive intensity and versatility throughout the Wolverines' championship season. One thing he didn't do in college was shoot. During the combine drills, though, he went 17-of-25 from deep. 

Johnson was 12-of-35 for his career on threes. If this is something he can add to his game, he would be worth a lottery pick. He averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game this past season.

All Pelicans fans who want the team to trade for Kel'el Ware should look to Cenac as a more realistic option. He's certainly a project player, but has all of the tools to be an elite center in the modern NBA.

As a freshman for the Cougars, he put up 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds. The exciting thing is that he shot 33.3% from deep on 2.4 attempts per game. If he can become a true stretch center while also adding some grit to his approach, he'll be a thrilling player. 

Cenac is also a New Orleans native, which is only a bonus.