Pelicans' NBA Finals Odds Jump After Trading CJ McCollum to Wizards for Jordan Poole

The New Orleans Pelicans have moved to +15000 to win the NBA Finals after adding Jordan Poole in a trade.

Jordan Poole is heading to New Orleans, moving the Pelicans to +15000 to win the title. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Another day, another NBA trade!

The New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards made an interesting swap on Tuesday afternoon, as New Orleans will acquire guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the No. 40 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft in exchange for CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick.

The New Orleans Pelicans are trading CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 pick, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025

The move opens up the books for the Wizards in the 2026 offseason, but they did not see any movement in their NBA Finals odds (still +100000 at DraftKings) following the move.

The trade swaps guards -- the Wizards shifting from Poole to the veteran in McCollum, who has an expiring contract. Washington now is expected to approach $100 million in projected cap space in 2026. Pelicans move younger, possibly more dynamic with Poole and Bey. https://t.co/5MoDagRyph

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025

However, oddsmakers appear to be buying this move for the Pelicans, who are bringing in a younger player around Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and others in New Orleans. The Pelicans were +20000 to win the Finals when the odds opened after Game 7 on Sunday in the 2025 Finals, but they have seen those odds jump.

Now, New Orleans is +15000 at DraftKings to win the title next season.

It's highly unlikely that New Orleans ends up making a Finals run -- especially if Poole ends up being the team's big offseason move -- but it is noteworthy that oddsmakers expect the Pels to improve with him on the roster.

In the 2024-25 season, Poole averaged 20.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc. He isn't a great defender, but the Pelicans have Herb Jones and eventually should get Dejounte Murray back to help make up for Poole's issues on that end.

New Orleans also holds the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, so it could be another young piece to the roster before the end of the week.

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