What The Jordan Poole-CJ McCollum Deal Means For Wizards, Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans-Washington Wizards trade that is sending CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to Washington for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No. 40 pick isn’t just a roster shuffle.

It’s a trade with long-term implications on both sides of the ledger.

For Washington, it’s all about the books. McCollum ($30.7 million) and Olynyk ($13.4 million) are both on expiring deals, giving the Wizards even more financial flexibility heading into 2026. They were already set to see contracts for Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, and potentially Richaun Holmes come off the books next summer.

With this deal, they could be looking at more than $80 million in cap space — and possibly up to $100 million, per cap analyst Yossi Gozlan.

Right now, Corey Kispert’s $14 million stands as the only fully guaranteed salary on Washington’s 2026-27 cap sheet. A few rookie-scale deals will eventually join it, but the message is clear — the Wizards are setting the stage for a massive spending window.

On the court, Washington picks up two proven veterans in McCollum and Olynyk, both still capable of contributing and potentially attractive trade pieces down the line. McCollum, despite his defensive shortcomings, averaged 21.1 points on 44.4% shooting last season. Olynyk knocked down nearly 42% of his threes and remains one of the league’s more skilled passing bigs.

The second-round pick heading to the Wizards is a minor asset (Chicago’s 2027 second-rounder), but the terms now guarantee Washington receives it outright, rather than conditionally based on draft positioning.

For New Orleans, the deal shaves money off the current tax bill and brings in two younger, controllable players. Poole, who just turned 26, rebounded nicely in his second year with the Wizards, putting up 20.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.

With Dejounte Murray recovering from an Achilles tear, Poole could step into a larger playmaking role — a natural fit for a team needing offensive firepower on the perimeter.

Bey, 25, adds size and shooting to the wing rotation, while the No. 40 pick gives the Pelicans another swing in a deep draft class.

It’s the kind of trade that might fly under the radar today, but could have real roster and cap consequences over the next 18 months.