Jarnell Stokes has been acquired by the New Orleans Pelicans from the Miami Heat. The Pelicans traded a highly protected second round pick to the Miami Heat, that most likely will never be cashed in. Stokes was taken in by the trade exception that the Pelicans received from the Ish Smith trade earlier this season. Along with Stokes, the Pelicans acquired $700,000, which is more than the salary the Pelicans took on for the rest of the season.

Stokes has played in seven games this year, averaging a point a game and 0.6 rebounds per game. In four separate stints with the Miami Heat’s D-League affiliate Sioux Falls, he has averaged 20.4 points per game on 67.6% from the field and 9.6 rebounds per game.

What this means for the Pelicans: Stokes was a second round pick in 2014 and has beeen moved twice this year as a part of salacry cap dumps. While he hasn’t had the chance to play much this season, he is just 22 and was heavily recruited in both college and high school. Stokes is 6’9 255 lbs and mobile. While he is not a stretch-4, he can bang down low and has looked good in the D-League this year. With another year on his contract, the Pelicans get a free look at a player who may end up as part of their power rotation down the line. If not, it costs the team nothing.

This is one of the reasons the Pelicans have not signed Bryce Dejean-Jones to a contract before the deadline. The team wanted to be available for a move like this. This is a low-risk, potential-reward kind of move.

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