New Orleans Pelicans

Pelicans are reportedly 'pushing hard' to trade Ryan Anderson

Published Feb. 17, 2016 4:33 p.m. ET

Brett Pollakoff

Ryan Anderson is the prototypical stretch-four, a power forward who is capable of shooting at an above average clip from three-point distance. He's playing well in New Orleans this season, averaging 16.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 31 minutes per contest.

But due to a combination of his impending free agency and how the team chooses to use him, he's always been viewed as likely to be dealt this season. And via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, that's exactly what the Pelicans are attempting in the final hours before Thursday's trade deadline passes.

The New Orleans Pelicans are pushing hard to find a trade for forward Ryan Anderson, whom they expect to lose in summer free agency, league sources said. The Pelicans are struggling to get back significant value in a trade for Anderson.

Anderson is capable of starting for plenty of NBA teams, but New Orleans has used him almost exclusively as a reserve. In free agency this summer, when the salary cap is expected to spike upwards of 30 percent, Anderson could command a deal worth as much as $18 million per year over multiple seasons. And, with so many teams having real money to spend, there will be no shortage of offers.

The Pelicans have too many problem areas on the roster that need addressing, so it doesn't make sense for them to lock up that much salary in re-signing Anderson. The logical thing to do is to try to get an asset or two in return for Anderson before he's gone this summer, and that's why it wouldn't at all be a surprise to see Anderson change teams before the week is finished.