The Pelicans are rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), who reports that New Orleans is telling teams that those players will remain in New Orleans through the February 5 trade deadline.
Haynes adds that forward Derik Queen and guard Jeremiah Fears are also considered off-limits, though there was never any expectation that the Pelicans would consider trading either of their promising rookies this season.
The Pelicans underwent a front office overhaul last spring, with head of basketball operations David Griffin replaced by Joe Dumars, who brought in former Pistons general manager Troy Weaver as his top lieutenant. Dumars and Weaver began reshaping the roster during their first summer on the job, trading away CJ McCollum and giving up a 2026 first-rounder in order to draft Queen after using their own lottery pick on Fears.
With New Orleans off to an ugly 8-31 start this season, there had been speculation that more significant roster changes could be on the way in the next few weeks.
While multiple reporters stated that the Pelicans weren’t looking to move Jones or Murphy, there was a sense that they might be more open to listening on that duo than in the past, though the asking price would still have been “extremely” high. Multiple reports also suggested that Williamson appeared increasingly unlikely to be part of the club’s long-term plans.
Based on Haynes’ update today, it doesn’t sound as if any of those three veterans will be going anywhere this season after all. Still, it’s worth noting that we have nearly four weeks until the deadline, so if the Pelicans get an offer that blows them away, there would be nothing stopping them from changing their stance on or before Feb. 5.
Williamson, a two-time All-Star, has battled a series of injuries since being drafted first overall in 2019, playing more than 30 games in a season just twice in his career. However, he has put up big numbers whenever he’s healthy, including averages of 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 28.8 minutes per game in 23 outings this season.
The 25-year-old, who was linked to the Bulls this week, is making $39.4MM this season and is owed about $87MM over the next two years, though he has a unique contract structure that ensures his future salaries remain non-guaranteed unless he meets certain weigh-in benchmarks and games-played totals.
Jones, who was named to the league’s All-Defensive first team in 2024, has averaged 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 28.3 minutes per game this season while shooting a career-worst 39.4% from the field. The 27-year-old signed an offseason extension that makes him ineligible to be traded until January 14. He has a cap hit of $14MM this season, is owed $58.3MM for the next three years, and has a player option worth $24.2MM for 2029/30.
Jones has been considered a potential target for the Lakers and other teams seeking defensive help on the wing.
Murphy, 25, has developed into a reliable two-way weapon for New Orleans. He’s averaging career highs in points (21.3), rebounds (6.1), assists (3.5), and steals (1.5) per game in the first season of a four-year, $112MM rookie scale extension. His 49.5% mark from the floor and 90.8% rate on free throw attempts are also career bests.
The Warriors, among other teams, have repeatedly been said to have significant interest in Murphy.
Even if the Pelicans stick to their guns and hang onto Williamson, Jones, and Murphy this season, there are a number of other trade candidates on the roster, including Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, Jose Alvarado, and Kevon Looney.
‘Let’s keep this team together; headed nowhere’.
Murphy and Jones are off the table? Welp, Giannis to GSW grows stronger….
Dumb. Trade Zion
I don’t expect them to trade Murphy. I would wonder why Zion is untradeable? If they think somebody wants Poole they are mistaken is how much he is over paid. that being said Jones is teh guy who gets traded.
Smh. So dumb. Basically: “Leave us alone. We’re happy being underperforming losers.”
At least field trades for Zion and Herb. I’d keep Trey and the others.
Herb is one of my favorite players, but he has value and you can get back a few picks and a couple decent players to replace him.
Love Herb as well but I think hos value is a tad low currently. Can probably get just as much and probably more over the summer for him if they had too
I’m with Pelicans in running it back. They have been extremely unlucky this year and if they run into good luck next year and Murray replaces Pooles mins effectively I could see play in
* Jordan Poole should never play a meaningful minute for this team next year, he’s an absolute buzzkill in every regard
** losing Zions salary only opens up a full Mle the way NO sits on the cap sheet currently and with the non guarantees I think you roll with him for at least another 12 months and go from there next deadline
Zion is as bad as Embiid or AD being injured all the time so his trade value is nonexistent. Plus he isn’t as good as either of those 2 when healthy either.
I can understand the new Coach/Gm have brought themselves as much time as possibly saying they want to rebuild around Fears and Queen. Plus listening to offers on Herb and Trey from a public standpoint, was that GSW offered you Kuminga for Trey. Trey is easily the better player so glad they’ve shut that down. Whereas Herb has teams interested but not heaps of noise.Zion is the player that needs to go tho.
He’s gone from LeBron/Barkley comparisons to playing 50% of his games being overweight and not being close to his expectations. He’s on a Ben Simmons trajectory but without the accolades. Honestly why he’s fit and showing value I’d be moving off of him.
I suggested yesterday send him to Detroit for Tobias Harris, Ron Holland and their first round pick this year (29th). Ron fits the Fears/Queen timeline, you get the big expiring deal of Tobias and a first round pick.
Then listen to offers on Dejounte, Poole, Herb and Jose. If you’re rebuilding you get back what you can, then use the draft to get better. Not just sit on players from the old regime and hope it all of a sudden comes together.
Maybe Miami takes Dejounte for Rozier and a bunch of second round picks.
Lakers give you Kleber and a first for Herb.
Jose to Knicks for Yabu and pick 34
That leaves you for next season with
Fears Trey Ron … Queen
… Poole Bey Yabu Missi
You’d have 2 late firsts and an early second plus whatever Miami gives you. 60+mil in expiring deals of Tobias, Terry and Maxi.
Next year you have Poole, Looney and Yabu coming off the books. Your first round pick can be swapped with the Bucks or Hawks if theirs is better (pray on a Giannas trade).
All of a sudden you have a nice fresh new team going in the right direction again.
Poole is an insane player. I couldn’t imagine any team wanting that guy unless they got a pick attached.
Very bizarre a team like the pelicans aren’t trying to move anyone of value. Maybe murray comes back and it starts clicking. This is a mess.
If the warriors get anything of value for kuminga hats off to them. Seems they need to just get a bad contract in exchange for kuminga who also is a bad contract. Fingers crossed the luka type deal falls from the sky.
Yeah i wouldn’t be in a huge rush to try move off him. He’s only got the rest of this year and next year on his contract. He would be solid for them coming off the bench in a contract year.
Moving Dejounte should be more of a priority which might be hard with him out. That’s why I suggest Miami for next to nothing. Rozier is just an expiring deal that likely won’t play again plus some second rounders.
Murray seems like a Miami guy, two way ability, very active on the floor, think he could be a good buy low player for them maybe won’t return this year but once healthy Murray Herro Wiggins/Powell Ware/Jovic and Bam. Mitchell off the bench with 2 of the forwards, Larsson, Smith, Fontechio etc they’d be a very good side on paper
Bulls dodge another bullet. News at 11.
Fire Dumars.
I would trade Zion, but who would want him???
At this point I just hope this team relocates and gets a fresh start
You know I watched him against Hawks. He actually looks good physically. Still too heavy imo. But looks in shape tight not soft. I just can’t get behind him. Pels should move him.
They might be able to get AD…
This is just posturing. “We won’t let go of any of these guys … Unless there’s an offer that changes our mind.” Wink wink
My thoughts exactly. Every GM in the leagues understands what this means. “We have offers for X,Y, & Z. If you want them, increase your offers before they go to the highest bidder”
Extend Borrego
So, what they are actually telling people is….we’re dumb as dog crap and we don’t have a clue how to run this organization. That’s the real message that they are sending out.
Not 2k. Nobody with an understanding of team building would seriously think about trading Murphy or Jones at this point. They’ve just been extended in the last year and are only now getting healthy. They are the very type of young veterans you want to start a rebuild, and if that doesn’t take, its still more likely than not that their trade value will increase over the next year or so.
Zion is a different issue. Moving on from him is likely inevitable. But the balance of his contract is essentially non-guaranteed, so there is no need to move him to avoid the out years of his contract.
I agree with your posts except for about Zion. Zion has no trade value. They are hopping putting this statement out and him playing healthy they will be able to move him this summer. You really gain nothing from tanking this year because they traded their pick for this year for McQueen. So they will try to win games and bring Zions trade value back up. But the question is what team and where would he even go?
Do you understand the balance of his contract isn’t guaranteed-? That means they don’t need to “move him” (for the sake of moving him), they can just release him after the season and owe him nothing and get all that cap space back. He’s essentially an optional expiring deal. Precisely because he has little trade value, it would be dumb to trade him now at market price. Because to do so, you’ll undoubtedly have to take some problematic or worthless contracts.
That’s why building him up and then trading him as an inspiring deal. You can at least get a first round pick. It’s not going to be a top of the line pick, but they should definitely try to move him for something and a team will offload salary to get him. I agree with you man on everything you said and you’re probably right but there is some value out there because he’s going to a second team and teens always feel like they can resurrect something that a former team couldn’t. So unless you’re planning on keeping him no doubt I would at least build whatever offer and try to get something for him. But I’m with you. I just don’t see it as I said about ja The off the cord stuff affects you on the court and him having a bunch of babies by of girls Not taking care of his weight. Not taking the game of basketball serious because he’s finally no longer the best player on the court. He has to work for it and I think that when you have phenoms sometimes they don’t tend to know how to put the work in because they’re always better and more athletic than everybody at the high school and sometimes college level
Agreed. Take one last chance at building value, with no downside. But that’s a summer deal, or not.
The Pelicans are smart to not trade away the Williamson, Murphy and Jones. A team is supposed to accumulate good players, not trade them away. Queen, Fears, Peavy and Missi are good young players. Dejounte Murray will be back at some point in time. Saddiq Bey is a good bench player. Best to be patient.