Pelicans' Jordan Poole Decision Signals His Inevitable Exit

Sunday's healthy scratch from the lineup might be a sign that Jordan Poole's time is already up in New Orleans.

Jan 16, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole (3) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are just six months removed from acquiring guard Jordan Poole, a move that sent veteran CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards. Six months later, there are signs that the Pelicans are already trying to move on from Poole. He was a healthy scratch from the team’s 104-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night. The enigmatic guard has faced his share of ups and downs to start the season, and a move seems likely as New Orleans tries to reshape its future.

Poole started the year averaging 19.8 points on nearly 39% shooting from beyond the arc during October. The 6-foot-4 guard then injured his quad in early November, causing him to miss 19 straight games, more than he’s missed in the last three seasons combined. Since returning from injury, Poole has not found his rhythm within this offense, shooting a career-low 37% from the field this season. Rumors have placed the former NBA champion at the center of trade buzz before the deadline on February 5.

His acquisition from the Wizards was seen as a necessity to pair a younger scorer with Zion Williamson. New Orleans had already traded Brandon Ingram before last year’s deadline, and guard Dejounte Murray ruptured his Achilles tendon during the season. With McCollum set to turn 34 before the new year started, it made sense to trade for a scoring guard eight years his junior. Now, the Pelicans are likely looking for a trade partner to send Poole away, possibly acquiring assets or hoping to get an impact player in return.

Poole’s cap hit next season of $34 million is not something the Pelicans can stomach, given his atrocious play as of late. He and Murray would be due a combined $66 million in salary next year. Murray has yet to return to the court since his injury last season, so it’s unknown what his trade value would even be at this point.

The problem for the Pelicans is that dealing Poole would require another player or an asset attached, unless a team is willing to buy extremely low for his services, which, given his contract, is extremely unlikely. New Orleans does not have their first-round pick next season because of the NBA draft night deal to acquire Derik Queen. They also do not have a second-round pick until 2030.

Don't watch the actual airball just watch Jordan Poole the whole time pic.twitter.com/vDmfASjMme

— Jake Madison (@NOLAJake) January 22, 2026

Pelicans May Struggle to Find a Jordan Poole Suitor at the Trade Deadline

His DNP-Coach's Decision on Sunday is more than likely a sign of things to come for the guard. New Orleans has experimented with a no-point-guard starting lineup, with Herb Jones or Williamson as the main ball-handlers up the court. That move has sent rookie guard Jeremiah Fears to the bench, but he will need as much playing time as possible to fine-tune his skills and address his deficiencies. Fan favorite Jose Alvarado has also returned from injury, and while he’s clearly not the offensive weapon Poole can be, his defensive disruption and energy will always earn him minutes on this team. That doesn’t leave much room for Poole to be a part of this team’s immediate plans or future.

The Jordan Poole era in New Orleans was meant to be a spark. Instead, it has been a cold bucket of water on a franchise that is desperately trying to find a winning identity around Zion Williamson and a young roster of Trey Murphy III, Queen, and Fears. As the February 5 deadline approaches, the question isn't whether the Pelicans want to trade Poole; it’s whether anyone is willing to pick up the phone.