3 Pelicans Who Are Still Not Safe from an Offseason Trade

A very quiet summer continues for the New Orleans Pelicans, but new reports say the team is attempting to make a move. Guard Jordan Hawkins is at the center of these rumors, with NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer revealing that New Orleans “has been exploring various trade frameworks to send out former lottery pick Jordan Hawkins for some potential roster and financial flexibility.”

The report pinpoints that the Memphis Grizzlies are interested in the former UConn standout, but no deal is finalized. New Orleans’ lack of aggression this offseason is frustrating fans who just witnessed their team have back-to-back seasons of sub-30 wins.

If a deal for Hawkins does not manifest itself, there are still other potential deals to be made with this current roster. Here are some other trade possibilities.

Jordan Poole

The Pelicans lack a bona fide starting center on this roster, and if a deal is to be made for one, the team could move Poole’s giant contract as bait to make it happen. Poole is in the final year of his contract, set to make $34 million this upcoming season, making it a potentially appealing expiring contract.

The former first-round pick had a disastrous first year in New Orleans after being traded to the Pelicans in a deal for CJ McCollum.

Poole shot a woeful 37% from the field last season, scoring just 13 points after averaging a career-high 20 points the season before with the Washington Wizards. His inconsistent shot selection and porous defense led to his benching midseason after multiple DNP-Coaching Decisions.

With the return of Dejounte Murray to a fully healthy offseason and the emergence of Jeremiah Fears, there is little incentive to keep Poole, and his expiring deal could be favorable trade bait for a team looking for future financial flexibility.

Herb Jones

Jones’ name has been in trade talks for the last couple of seasons, with teams interested in the former All-NBA First Team selection to help anchor their defense. The former Alabama standout was positioning himself to become a true 3&D player in this league, but injuries have derailed the last two seasons for Jones, limiting him to just 76 games over two years.

His shooting has also taken a dramatic dip since shooting a career-high 41% from beyond the arc. In the last two years, those numbers have dipped to 30% from three, with his points per game average dropping to a career-low 8.9 points.

While Jones is on a team-friendly deal, the Pelicans could be grooming their next Jones-like player in second-year forward Micah Peavy. The team’s second-round pick last season appeared in 61 games for New Orleans and showed some flashes throughout the year.

If the Pelicans feel comfortable enough that Peavy can improve his three-point shooting, the team could feel Jones is expendable, especially if they can snag any future first-round picks for the forward.

Saddiq Bey

Bey was involved in the trade that sent both him and Poole to New Orleans from the Washington Wizards. At first, Bey was considered just a throw-in piece, but the 6-foot-8 forward proved his worth throughout the season, averaging a career-high 17 points per game.

Now, Bey enters the final year of his deal and is due an extension after his career year. While the Pelicans would love to extend Bey, a team coming off a 26-win season would do well to explore all options involved.

A rival team could value Bey’s multi-utility abilities on the court and want to pursue his talents, provided he intends to sign an extension there. For the Pelicans, combining him with minor draft picks or existing trade exceptions allows New Orleans to target additional rotational help without touching their core.

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