Who are the Pelicans’ untouchable players at the trade deadline?

As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the New Orleans Pelicans are increasingly being mentioned in rumors.

They’ve been attached to CJ McCollum and most-recently both Harrison Barnes and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings.

The Pelicans seem willing to make the right addition, as another piece could push them into the play-in tournament this season and into the playoffs in the next when Zion Williamson will hopefully be healthy.

I wrote about the likelihood of each Pelicans’ player behind traded, but how many guys do they have who are truly untouchable?

The Pelicans untouchables at the deadline

Zion Williamson

There has been speculation, mostly among delusional Knicks’ fans, that Zion Williamson will be traded or leave the Pelicans.

I don’t see that happening, as Zion would have to give up a ton of money to change teams instead of signing a rookie extension, a move no high-profile rookie has ever made. He’d be smarter financially to sign the extension and then demand a trade if he really wanted to leave.

Zion is a generational talent when healthy and that’s not an exaggeration, so the Pelicans would be unwise to trade him at all, especially now when he is hurt.

I could see Zion leaving or getting traded at some point, but it’s not going to be at this deadline.

Brandon Ingram

The only way Brandon Ingram is ever getting traded is if there is a legit superstar available, and since that isn’t happening, I can’t see BI being moved at this deadline.

Ingram didn’t make the All-Star team but he is on the fringes and probably would be in if the Pelicans had a better record.

He’s shown he can adjust his game, he’s a professional scoring machine and he’s still only 24, so there aren’t many players the Pels would even consider trading him for.

Ingram is locked up to an extension and here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Herb Jones

It may sound crazy to put Herb Jones on this list, but he has already proven himself to be an elite defender and is exactly the type of player you want to put around Zion and BI, as he can thrive without scoring and doesn’t need the ball in his hands on offense.

Ideally you want to put good wing defenders and shooters around Zion and BI and Herb Jones has proven himself to be both, as he’s shot surprisingly well from 3-point range and also been a dangerous cutter without the ball.

He’s a potential All-Defense player on a minimum rookie deal that runs for two more seasons after this one. Because he was a second-round pick, the Pels could potentially have one of the NBA’s best defenders locked up for 6-7 years at a budget rate.

If you are going to build a competitive roster in the NBA, you need guys who drastically outplay their pay slot or produce on rookie deals, and Herb Jones is one of those guys.

But that’s it, that’s the list.

I think anyone else on the Pelicans’ roster is available for trade, though they would certainly love to keep Josh Hart.

The Pels have shown they will flip centers in a heartbeat, so Jonas Valanciunas is a guy who could be traded at some point in the future (not at this deadline).

Devonte’ Graham has the kind of salary and production that could be attractive in a trade package.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes would almost certainly be dealt in any deal where the other team was looking for high-ceiling talent to develop, and though the Pels like both of them, I don’t think they’d hesitate to include either one in the right deal.

Same for Kira Lewis Jr. (who has no trade value right now) and Trey Murphy III.

Until the New Orleans Pelicans add a third star to go with Zion and BI, just about everyone not named Herb is on the table at the deadline.