Pelicans Should Only Make 2 Players Untouchable in Trade Talks

The New Orleans Pelicans need to be willing to listen to trade offers for most of their roster.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are forced to focus on their future rather than the present after a horrible 3-22 start to the season. Even though the front office has yet to engage in trade discussions according to the latest reports, it is only a matter of time that they will come to their senses. It is obvious that the Pelicans have to be in asset accumulation mode to better set themselves up for the future.

This requires parting ways with any veteran with trade value and doesn't fit the Pelicans' timeline. This doesn't necessarily mean that the Pelicans have to actively shop everyone, but they need to be willing to listen to any trade offers. In fact, anyone not named Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen should be considered a trade chip.

The future of this team belongs to Fears and Queen. The two rookies are off to great starts to their careers and can be the offensive one-two punch for a long time.

Pelicans Should Be Willing to Listen to Trade Offers for Anyone but Fears & Queen

Trey Murphy is the other name who can be considered to be a core piece of the future. He is only 25 years old, is in the midst of a career season, and is on a team-friendly deal until the summer of 2029. While the Pelicans would be thrilled to keep him around, if a team is willing to offer a haul for Murphy, the Pels would be wise to seriously consider it. Murphy is the prototypical three-and-D wing who can do a little bit of everything. He is better suited on a winning team, and every contender will be fortunate to acquire him.

This could increase Murphy's trade value significantly, and now that he is healthy and playing well, the 2026 trade deadline may be a great time to move him. The Pelicans could get multiple first-round picks in exchange for Murphy that could set them up really well in their rebuild.

Herb Jones should also have enough trade value to warrant a first-round pick. He just turned 27 and is under contract for at least three more seasons, making him an intriguing option for playoff teams. By the time the Pelicans are back to being a relevant team, Jones will likely have stopped being on a team-friendly deal.

There is probably no one else on the team who could warrant a significant return on the trade market. Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole, and Dejounte Murray are the three highest paid players on the roster, but are not seen as positive-value contracts. If the Pels can move on from them for neutral value without taking back a toxic asset, they should trade them without hesitation.

Jose Alvarado is a solid contributor on a very cheap contract. He will likely turn down his $4.5 million player option for next season. So, the Pels should consider getting something in return for him instead of letting him walk for free.

Saddiq Bey and Yves Missi would be nice to keep around considering their age and contract status, but if there are offers for them that bring back decent draft capital, the Pels should consider them.

Serious offers for the rest of the team are hard to imagine. Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy have some potential and the Pels would be happy to keep them around, but they haven't shown enough to be treated as franchise cornerstones.

Despite having Fears and Queen already on the team, the Pels are in the early stages of a rebuild. To fully kickstart it, they need to get as many future assets as possible. That requires being willing to make uncomfortable decisions with their roster.