With ESPN's Sham Charania reporting that the Atlanta Hawks front office and Trae Young's representation are going to work together to find the All-Star guard a new home, and Marc Stein reporting that the Wizards are a suitor. All of the headlines as the February 5th trade deadline approaches have been stolen by Young and the Hawks.
These recent reports have made the Pelicans' trade deadline plans go overlooked. Stein recently mentioned the Pelicans and their plans at the deadline when talking about the Lakers' continued search for a two-way wing.
"The market for such wings who can shoot from distance and defend remains quite limited, with New Orleans still resistant to trade interest in both Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III."Marc Stein
This report helps paint a clearer picture of what Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver have planned for the Pelicans at the 2026 trade deadline. It appears that both Murphy III and Jones will remain with the team past the deadline and through the remainder of the season, which is a decision I can't say I agree with. Especially when considering the Pelicans are dead last in the Western Conference, are on a seven-game losing streak, and hold an 8-29 record.
This decision could be a costly one
I'm all for holding onto Trey Murphy III. In my eyes, he's the Pelicans' best player, and he's on a steal of a contract for the next several seasons. This is also his second straight season averaging 20+ points per game, as he's posting 20.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting an efficient 49.3 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc.
With him being this team's only real elite floor spacer, trading him would be a costly mistake for the present but also the future, as he is exactly the type of player you want alongside Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. Herb Jones, on the other hand, is someone who, yes, in theory, fits long-term next to those three. But in reality, I don't know if he'll ever stay healthy enough for the Pelicans to see that through.
Jones is still my favorite player on this team—his jersey is still hanging on my wall, and if he were traded, it would be a tough pill to swallow. However, with most teams in the league looking for elite two-way players and those players costing a premium, not trading Jones could be a costly choice.
Over the last two seasons, it feels like Jones' health has steadily declined, as the years of overexerting himself defensively may have caught up with him. Which is why I sadly think it may be time to part ways with the team's best defensive stopper, especially given how the Pels' season is going.
It's a tough reality, but rebuilding teams don't get better by staying pat. Even though it would hurt to see Jones wearing another team's uniform, the Pelicans are at a point where holding onto him costs more than letting go.