3 Pelicans Who May Have Entered Their Final Month in New Orleans

The New Orleans Pelicans aren’t expected to make major changes to the roster, but the trade buzz surrounding their key contributors isn’t going anywhere. Both Trey Murphy and Zion Williamson are involved in trade speculation, but whether either player is available is unclear.

Even if the two stars aren’t on the trade block, there are a few Pelicans who are on their way out. When free agency officially kicks off in July, there will be some roster movement. Here are a few Pelicans who may not be with the team much longer.

Kevon Looney

The Pelicans have an $8 million team option on Looney for next season. After the veteran center completely fell out of favor in New Orleans last season, it’s hard to imagine the Pelicans wasting their precious cap space on Looney.

Even though New Orleans desperately needed center depth and quality, Looney wasn’t able to be an option for the Pelicans. On a minimum contract, it could still make some sense to retain the former Warrior, but the Pelicans can already bring back DeAndre Jordan if they want a big man mentor who won’t play regularly.

It makes more sense for the Pelicans to let Looney walk and open up cap space and a roster spot.

Jordan Poole

In an ideal world, the Pelicans would trade Poole for a bag of peanuts. Unfortunately, he makes $34 million next season, which makes it very difficult to find a team that would take him on.

One positive aspect of Poole is the fact that his contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season. A team that is looking to create cap space for the 2027 offseason can trade for him if they can offload bad contracts that extend further.

Poole was out of the rotation in the second half of the season for the Pelicans. When he was out there, he was inefficient on offense and undisciplined on defense. For a team that is trying to improve defensively and build an identity, Poole makes little sense.

The Pelicans will try everything they can to end the Jordan Poole experiment this summer.

Jordan Hawkins

The 24-year-old shooting guard is entering the fourth year of his contract and will make $7 million next season. The Pelicans may already be regretting picking up his fourth-year option.

For a player whose calling card is his shooting, Hawkins has made very few shots in his career so far. Despite getting chances on the rebuilding Pelicans, the former UConn star wasn’t able to showcase the offensive skill set that got him drafted in the lottery.

It’s hard to imagine Hawkins turning things around in New Orleans. A fresh start may be needed for both sides. His $7 million salary could be a trade chip for the Pelicans. If they can attach draft capital to that deal, the Pelicans could find an immediate contributor who can help them take a step forward next season.

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