New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Poole was the star of a fake news story recently. Fortunately for Poole, the story of him being released by the Pelicans wasn’t true. But after a down season, Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver should consider releasing or trading Poole this offseason.
With the number of fake stories that are out there, it’s surprising that more of these stories don’t get mistaken for the truth. This story was shared on X by a fake reporter going by the name “Owen Prescott.” One look at this X account and you can see it is full of fake sports stories.
Besides the Poole story, the account also put out a fake trade in which the Pelicans sent Zion Williamson and Jordan Hawkins to the Golden State Warriors for Jimmy Butler and draft picks.
One thing to consider is that fans may have believed the fake report because Poole's release isn’t that far-fetched.
The Pelicans should consider moving on from Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole is currently the Pelicans' second highest-paid player behind Zion Williamson. Poole is set to make just over $34 million in the final year of his contract.
$34 million is a lot to stomach for Poole’s lackluster performance last season. The offensive-minded guard scored just over 13 points per game with the Pelicans in 2025-2026, while shooting sub-40 percent from the field.
Poole is an extremely talented offensive player, which is why he received a four-year, $128 million contract extension from the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, his production dipped drastically when he became a Pelican.
The issue with Poole’s game is that, although he can be a great scorer, he doesn’t do much else. And if he isn’t the number one or two option on a team’s offense, his lackluster shooting percentages and defense can hurt the team.
With the off-season ending soon, the Pelicans need to act. Poole isn’t going to be playing much for the Pelicans unless they face a rash of injuries. At this point, I don’t even know if Poole should be on the second unit.
The Pelicans already have Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins, and Micah Peavy at the shooting guard position. I would rather see guys like Hawkins and Peavy get minutes to see what they can do and if they can be in New Orleans long-term.
There are certainly reasons why you wouldn’t trade or release Poole. If the injury bug does hit the Pelicans again, maybe Poole can get playing time and increase his trade value. Currently, it’s hard to imagine any team giving the Pelicans anything of value in a trade. In fact, the Pelicans would likely have to include assets in any deal sending away Poole.
This is why just releasing Poole might be the best move. Allow Poole to find a new team where he could get more playing time. This would give the Pelicans another roster spot to give to a younger player or someone they see potential in for the future.
The Pelicans may not have actually released Jordan Poole, but it’s something the front office should be considering before the season begins.
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