The NBA trade market is starting to take shape, and one rebuilding team is suddenly at the center of it. With February 5 fast approaching, front offices are tightening their focus on young, controllable talent that aligns with both current needs and future timelines.
That search has led multiple teams back to New Orleans, where one 21-year-old big man is quietly emerging as one of the most intriguing names available ahead of the deadline.
Why the Young Center is Drawing Growing League Interest?
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the New Orleans Pelicans have made their trade posture increasingly clear. Core pieces such as Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Zion Williamson are off the table. But the Pelicans are willing to discuss other names as they recalibrate a season that has gone sideways.
Among those being discussed, center Yves Missi is generating the strongest interest across the league.
“Along with our reporting last week that Indiana has called on Missi as part of the Pacers’ ongoing search for front-line reinforcements, I’ve been advised that the Chicago Bulls are a team that covets Missi. It makes sense for the Bulls to be looking at possible centers of the future, knowing that Nikola Vučević is in the final year of his contract,” Fischer shared.
For Chicago, the fit is obvious. Nikola Vučević is in the final year of his contract, and the Bulls are preparing for life without a long-term answer at center.
Missi’s track record backs this up. The 2024 21st overall pick earned All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2024–25 after averaging 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game. This season, his numbers have dipped to 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 18.8 minutes, mainly due to role changes rather than a decline in effectiveness.
The changes happening in New Orleans shed light on why there’s been a shift in roles. With Derik Queen stepping in as a first-round pick and Zion Williamson still in the mix, Missi has found himself in a backup position. Under the watchful eye of Joe Dumars in basketball operations and James Borrego leading the team temporarily, it’s clear that the focus has shifted towards a new vision for the frontcourt.
Indiana’s interest follows similar logic. The Pacers have been searching for front-line reinforcements, and Missi’s combination of rim protection, vertical athleticism, and cost-controlled contract checks several boxes. Fischer reported that Indiana has already called on Missi, signaling more than surface-level curiosity.
On the other hand, reports from Chicago have echoed this growing buzz. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times has confirmed that the Bulls and Pelicans are in talks, noting that while the buzz around Zion Williamson has quieted, chatter about Missi is definitely heating up.
At just 21, Missi aligns neatly with Chicago’s younger core and offers proven NBA production rather than a speculative draft asset. In 111 career games, he has recorded 148 blocks and remains a positive defensive presence, with New Orleans performing better defensively when he is on the floor.
As the deadline nears, the question is no longer whether teams are interested; it is whether New Orleans views Missi as expendable enough to accelerate its broader retooling.
With multiple bidders circling, the league may soon find out just how aggressively the Pelicans are willing to reshape their future and which team believes this young center can anchor theirs.
