Pelicans face stiffer challenge building their roster due to trading first-round picks

In the final days of June, the term “opt out” is a big part of the NBA lingo, as several players are considering opting out of their current contracts.

Opt out also applies to the New Orleans Pelicans, who had to wait 50 selections before having a pick in the second round of the NBA Draft. The organization and general manager Dell Demps appear to have a draft night phobia.

Demps loves to trade away first-round picks. He did so this year, trading it to Chicago in a deal that brought Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans. Mirotic turned out to be a very good acquisition, providing the Pelicans with a key spark after the season ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins.

Yet, avoiding the first round of the draft each year is normal for the Pelicans. Problem is, New Orleans is avoiding one of the biggest pluses of the NBA’s labor agreement. When a player is drafted in the first round, a club can choose to retain the player’s services for up to five years. If a draft choice becomes a very good player quickly, the team has the perfect scenario. That is, possessing a great talent at the lowest possible price.

With the pick the Pelicans traded to the Bulls, Boise State forward Chandler Hutchinson was selected. Will Hutchinson become an excellent NBA player? Who knows?

But, in his first two years in the league, he will earn a total of $10,922,168. This money is guaranteed but not a lot by NBA standards.

The Pelicans don’t have many such options on their club. Last season, Darius Miller, a solid contributor, was an exception with a $2.1 million salary.

Top-heavy in salary, New Orleans paid more than $67 million this past season to Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and Cousins. Filling out a roster with good enough talent is more challenging with the cap dollars remaining in that scenario.

If this were the NFL, the Pelicans would have the option of paring salary. Two candidates would be swingman Solomon Hill and center Alexis Ajinca. The two combined will earn over $18 million in the 2018-2019. But those contracts are guaranteed fully, just like most of the deals in the Association.

The Boston Celtics lost guards Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving to injury last year but reached the Eastern Conference Finals, thanks to the work of three players on their rookie deals.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier combined earned about $354,000 less than Solomon Hill. First-round picks made that happen.

In 2017-2018, Boston’s team payroll was $5 million less than New Orleans.

The NBA with guaranteed contracts can make life difficult for general managers. When the Pelicans, at the urging of then-head coach Monty Williams, matched an offer sheet for guard Eric Gordon, New Orleans was on the hook for more than $60 million for a player who clearly did not want to be here. If you don’t think so, check out Gordon’s production since he bolted for Houston.

Demps has a much tougher job currently than the one held by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. In the NFL, the success rate for draft choices is much higher than the NBA. And, when the Saints don’t think a player can contribute, he can be cut while the club absorbs a cap hit. The Saints are doing that this season with tight end Coby Fleener, who was an expensive mistake.

There are no such do-overs in the NBA, which is why having a chance to draft talented but cheap (in NBA terms) labor is so critical.

Too bad the Pelicans often choose to opt out of the NBA Draft.