The New Orleans Pelicans are in the thick of the NBA Western Conference playoff picture, sitting in fifth place with a 25-18 record.
Despite this, the Pelicans could be looking to shake things up a little bit as the NBA trade deadline nears.
While the team isn’t looking to move off of stars Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, or Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans are reportedly open to moving Herb Jones if the price is right, according to Matt Moore of Action Network:
“The Pelicans are thought to be open to moving Herbert Jones. They’re high on Jones, but it’ll be difficult for the team to pay their stars, Jones and Trey Murphy III.”
As to what players have potentially been linked to the Pelicans, Moore mentioned Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen:
“Jarrett Allen is the name most commonly associated with the Pelicans. They’re looking to reset their center position a little more in the age timeline of their stars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Jonas Valanciunas on an expiring contract could wind up being moved which would be smart given how much interest there is in centers across the league, and his $15 million expiring deal will be an asset.”
Jones is a defensive standout for the Pelicans who is also averaging nearly 11 points per game for the team this season. It’s not ideal to move off of a productive 25-year-old two-way player on a reasonable deal, but with the team needing to pay Williamson, Ingram, and McCollum big money as well as lock up Murphy III on a long-term deal, the team may not have much choice but to move off of one of their non-stars.
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