Trey Murphy & Herb Jones Trade Buzz Is Louder Than Ever 24 Hours Before the Draft

The Pelicans may finally be moving on from their two highly coveted starters.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Despite not having a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans have managed to position themselves at the center of all the buzz before the draft. Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the biggest domino to fall, but the Pelicans are also reportedly engaged in significant trade discussions regarding two veteran starters.

Speculation around Trey Murphy and Herb Jones has reached new levels this week. In his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Shams Charania named Jones and Murphy as two players who have "gotten a ton of interest in the marketplace" and may be traded soon.

NBA insider Jake Fischer confirmed this reporting in his live stream for Bleacher Report on Monday afternoon. He called Murphy and Jones "two of the buzziest names around the NBA amongst veterans who might be changing teams," before adding that six to 12 teams are interested in each player.

Trey Murphy & Herb Jones Trades Have Never Been More Likely

As fascinating as this development is, this has been brewing for a couple of weeks. There have been significant reports about the Pelicans' desire to add a lottery pick in this year's draft. Some were wondering whether New Orleans could even add two first-round picks. Given the lack of veterans with trade value on the roster, the only way for the Pelicans to add significant draft capital would be through trading Murphy or Jones.

Fischer also reported that the Pelicans have stood firm on their asking price of multiple first-round picks for both of these players, including a potential Desmond Bane-type package for Murphy.

Bane was traded from the Grizzlies to the Magic for four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap, in addition to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony.

If the Pelicans insist on a similar return, Murphy should bring back value equivalent to four first-round picks. Perhaps some of the value in the return could be players better than KCP or Anthony, but it will be a massive haul, regardless.

The Detroit Pistons, considered one of the frontrunners for Murphy, certainly have the assets to make such an offer. The Celtics and the Pacers are other reported suitors, but it sounds like there are even more interested teams. This should drive up the price for Murphy and help the Pelicans get the return they are looking for.

New Orleans should be less optimistic about the return in the Jones deal. The 27-year-old forward's shot has abandoned him in the last two years, and he has dealt with injury concerns, missing a total of 88 games in that span. His offensive regression may scare some teams from giving up significant future assets. The multiple first-round pick offer the Pelicans want may not be there, but getting a first-rounder in this year's draft may be a possibility.

The Pelicans are inching towards having at least one first-round pick on Tuesday. This changes their entire offseason calculation and the future outlook of the franchise. It looks like Pelicans fans will have to refresh their social media feeds and turn on push notifications over the next 24 hours.