The Pelicans are making an effort to acquire a lottery pick in this month’s draft, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports that the team is believed to have its eye on a specific player in the neighborhood of the top 10.
New Orleans finished the 2025/26 season with a 26-56 record, but the club’s own lottery pick – which landed at No. 8 overall – is controlled by Atlanta as a result of a deal the Pelicans made to move into last year’s lottery. After using the seventh overall pick in 2025 to select Jeremiah Fears, the front office sent last year’s No. 23 pick and this year’s lottery selection to the Hawks in order to move up to No. 13 to nab Derik Queen.
Without any 2026 picks to use as bargaining chips this time around, the Pelicans will face the challenge of trading into the first round rather than simply trading up. In other words, the price figures to be steep, especially given how highly regarded the ’26 draft class is.
According to Scotto, it’s unclear what sort of trade assets the Pelicans are making available as they seek a lottery pick, but outside of Fears and Queen, who almost certainly aren’t going anywhere, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones likely have the most trade value among the players on their roster. Zion Williamson and Yves Missi are potential trade chips with positive value too, but head of basketball operations Joe Dumars has dismissed the idea of moving Williamson and Missi’s stock likely dipped a little as he fell out of the starting lineup this past season.
The Pelicans also own the most favorable of their own or Milwaukee’s 2027 first-rounder and still control all of their own first-rounders beginning in 2028, so they have no shortage of future draft assets to put on the table. Dumars showed a year ago that he has no problem going that route, even while the team is in a retooling phase.
For what it’s worth, the Warriors – who control the No. 11 overall pick – have been frequently cited in the past year or two as a team with interest in Murphy. The Bucks (No. 10) would also probably have interest in win-now role players like Murphy and Jones if they decide to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo and try to build a contender around him; if they move Giannis, the Bucks would probably rather keep their pick.
The Hawks at No. 8 and the Mavericks at No. 9 are among the other potential trade partners the Pelicans could reach out to.
Zion Williamson has positive trade value? Huh who knew? Not me.
Move Zion now ….. yes mike.
Seems like we were just discussing moving him for Patrick Williams. That’s as low value as you can get AL. LOL
Trade idea
Pelicans land Kuminga and 8
Hawks land Murphy and 2028 unprotected First
Mavs are not interested in dumping draft picks
That 2028 unprotected first could be a lot higher than 8. That’s worth more than this year’s 8. And I’m not sure Murphy is any more valuable than Kuminga, considering Kuminga’s expiring contract (Hawks could, and probably will, get something of considerable value for that contract this off-season). In sort, Hawks say “nah.” Maybe if you make that 2028 first the 2027 Bucks-Pels first. Bucks are going to be deliberately awful.
Now Trey Murphy is tradeable? Last year the Pelicans refused to trade him at the deadline. Looking at their team Bey is the guy most likely to get traded but not worth a lottery first round pick in this draft. they might be trying to up Williamson value by saying they don’t want to trade him.
Back at the atm…the house always wins
Moody and 11 for Trey III.
The most arrogant guy in the lottery, that is Joe Dumars’ guy. He has a type.