Pelicans Trade Chips Who Could Be Moved This Offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans are facing a ton of pressure to get better next season. After back-to-back campaigns with fewer than 30 wins, the Pelicans have to return to their winning ways. Joe Dumars claimed that they are not very far from being winners and teased that they won't be making radical changes to the roster.

This means that the Pelicans are unlikely to tear it apart and rebuild. If they are involved in any trades, it may be to get better in the present. In those trades, the following players will be the most likely trade chips.

Herb Jones

The Pelicans have shown very little desire to move Herb Jones in recent years. Despite reports of consistent interest in Jones around the league, the Pels held onto their defensive standout. These talks will likely be revisited in the offseason as Jones may be New Orleans' best bet to bring back draft capital, future assets, or a player who fits better to help them win now.

That isn't to say that Jones has more trade value than Trey Murphy or Zion Williamson, but it's harder to see the Pels moving either of those players. Jones will turn 28 before next season, and his extension will kick in in the 2027-28 campaign, which will pay him $20.8 million that season. His trade value will certainly be lower at that point, so the Pelicans would be wise to explore trade possibilities this summer.

Yves Missi

Missi was drafted by the previous regime, so how highly Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver see him is unclear. In his second season in the league, Missi saw a reduction in his role and minutes. Yet, he was still able to show flashes of defensive upside. He is a good rim protector and a versatile defensive player. His mobility and athleticism are certainly intriguing.

This gives him some trade value if the Pelicans decide to go that route. Whether they should explore a trade, however, is another question.

New Orleans shouldn't be in the business of trading away 21-year-old centers with potential. If the front office is looking for immediate upgrades, however, Missi could be a trade chip other teams around the league would be interested in.

Dejounte Murray

The veteran point guard boosted his trade value after his in-season return from an Achilles rupture. The former All-Star played above expectations, looking close to his pre-injury self.

This gives the Pelicans a fascinating offseason decision. Do they keep Murray and build their backcourt around him and Jeremiah Fears? Or do they trade him now that he is healthy?

Murray's $32.8 million salary for next season complicates matters and makes it difficult for the Pelicans to get a great return. If they can get younger and cheaper while adding some draft capital in a potential Murray trade, they should seriously consider it.

Jordan Poole

The Pelicans would love to trade Poole, but they may not be able to. His $34 million salary for next season makes him arguably the most overpaid player in the league. This will be the biggest obstacle in front of a potential Poole trade.

It's hard to imagine any team in the league will want to acquire Poole for his on-court contributions after the season he just had. As an expiring salary, however, he could draw some interest. The Pelicans may have to get an equally bad contract back in such a trade or give up assets. So, it's hard to call Poole a "trade chip", per se, but his salary could be used in a larger transaction to help the Pelicans get better.