Daryl Morey, that advanced statistical revolutionary residing in Houston, just added Chris Paul, the beloved idol of stat geeks everywhere. The competition in the Southwest Division obviously just got a little more extreme, but the Pelicans could stand to benefit from the upheaval by asking the Clippers about one of their newest players, Patrick Beverley.

Lucas Hann, the editor of Clips Nation, believes Los Angeles is probably looking to re-tool and not re-build. One has to assume Doc Rivers would prefer to keep Beverley next to a re-signed Blake Griffin rather than own a future first round pick because the head coach left the Boston Celtics to avoid precisely a similar rebuilding scenario.

I’m not sure the Clippers will have a choice, though.

Griffin has long been rumored to be on the trade block, and by all accounts, the Clippers seemed to prize CP3 more leading up to this free agency. Does Blake’s bruised ego easily forgive and forget? Also, don’t forget that J.J. Redick has announced he’s interested in skipping town.

J.J. Redick won't be re-signing with the L.A. Clippers. (Via Brian Windhorst - ESPN) — Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) June 28, 2017

Without Griffin and Redick, the Clippers available cap space figure for next season is laughable — around $23 million. So yeah, if they do manage to re-sign Blake, they won’t have much to work with to fill the sudden CP3/Redick voids.

Why all the interest in Patrick Beverley? Well, he would fit like a glove on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Darren Erman helped the Pelicans achieve a lot of defensive success last season by utilizing a heavy switching scheme involving versatile players. Few guards are better suited for this role as Beverley functions just like a Tony Allen. After all, he did just earn 2017 All-Defensive NBA First Team Honors and the NBA Hustle Award.

The New Orleans Pelicans need solid three-point shooters all over the floor, but especially from the corners as Cousins and Holiday should dominate a lot of possessions at the top of the key. Few players are more accustomed to this type of role than Beverley.

In Houston, the short-statured guard learned to play off the ball entirely and that knowledge would serve him extraordinarily well alongside DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. Assistant Coach Chris Finch was brought in to not only help the Big 3 work better as a unit, but to teach the rest of the personnel where and when to spot-up, cut or make a play with the ball. Beverley long finished this crash course with the Houston Rockets and has been practicing it ever since.

Lastly, Beverley is all about the team, giving maximum effort and willing to sacrifice his body to fetch the win. Who wouldn’t want a guy that gives it his all night in, night out, and is forever grateful just to be in this league? #BlueCollar is still the new look, right Dell Demps?

Really, the only question at this point is if the Clippers will continue to try to operate over the cap. A player cannot be subsequently traded in another package involving players from their new roster if their new team is over the cap. However, this could obviously be circumvented by just trading for Beverley exclusively. Alexis Ajinca and a future first round pick?

Also, one has to assume if L.A. loses Blake Griffin in coming days, they will have no choice but to go under the salary cap, so all handicaps would be off. Do we even dare dream about New Orleans adding Lou Williams too or does that fall under one of the seven deadly sins?

If I'm the Pels, I'm offering a first to LA for Pat Bev. Heck see what Lou Williams takes to get too. But mostly Pat Bev. — Kumar (@FearTheBrown) June 28, 2017

Either way, I want to see the New Orleans Pelicans land Patrick Beverley. The Rockets offense, with CP3, Harden, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson, challenging the Pelicans defensive shroud? Must-see TV!