Jordan Poole Trade Could Be Pelicans' Next Move After Bey Deal

After just one season, it's clear the Pelicans should move on from Jordan Poole.

Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole (3) before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New Orleans Pelicans have extended Saddiq Bey, but questions remain in the aftermath. New Orleans still very much needs to figure out the right combination of pieces, and with one major player staying put, that opens the door for others to leave.

After the team’s three-year pact with Bey entering the weekend, the best follow-up is to trade guard Jordan Poole. New head coach Jamahl Mosley has a vision for his team's identity, and Poole simply doesn’t fit it.

Why Jordan Poole trade is a must for Pelicans in Bey extension aftermath

Both Poole and Bey came over in the 2025 offseason trade for guard CJ McCollum. Bey was seen as a throw-in asset in the deal, with the 6-foot-8 forward coming off an ACL injury. However, the Charlotte, North Carolina native had a renaissance year, scoring a career-high 17.7 points per game, while looking like a key foundational piece for the team moving forward.

Poole intrigued the Pelicans, who hoped the guard could jumpstart their offense after trading away McCollum and Brandon Ingram. He was also expected to be a lead-guard stopgap while Dejounte Murray returns from injury.

Poole was coming off a career season with the Washington Wizards despite the team’s lack of success. The former first-round pick averaged a career-high in points (20.5), assists (4.5), steals (1.3), and three-point shooting (37.8%) on a Wizards team that won just 18 games. New Orleans hoped Poole could continue his individual success on a team with talented pieces, including Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III.

Instead, Poole’s first season with the Pelicans was an utter disaster. He never found a rhythm in the offense, shooting his worst field-goal percentage (37.2%) since his rookie season. Poor decision-making, defensive lapses, and inconsistent play followed him most of the year, culminating in a benching midway through the season and nine straight DNP-Coach's Decision.

The biggest elephant in the room is his expiring $34 million contract. A revival this year for the former NBA champion seems unlikely, and fitting his skill set on this team seems far-fetched. Murray is returning from a healthy offseason after recovering from a torn Achilles injury the season before. Murray played 14 games late in the year, averaging 16.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.4 rebounds.

With him returning as the lead guard and rising rookie Jeremiah Fears needing plenty of time to develop, Poole will naturally get lost in the shuffle.

New Orleans' lack of viable size also means they will rely heavily on perimeter defenders to apply ball pressure on the opposition. Poole is a below-average defender at best, something Mosley and his staff will not tolerate from this team. Holding on to a player with that contract makes little sense, especially with his expiring deal being a carrot to dangle for another team.

Waiting too long to pull the trigger on a deal risks injury or further devaluing his trade return if his poor play continues when the season starts. The Jordan Poole experiment needs to end sooner rather than later in New Orleans. It’s time to rip the band-aid off and move on.