With the New Orleans Pelicans displaying their losing ways, with the team being at the very bottom of the Western Conference, it will automatically lead to speculation that they could be sellers come the trade deadline in February. Though maybe with the Pelicans looking ahead to turn around and get into the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the trade status of such players as Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones has been given more context.
ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel was speaking with fellow reporter of the outlet, Tomer Azarly, on the show “Clutch Scoops,” where the topic of New Orleans came up, specifically about Murphy and Jones. While there has no doubt interest around the league, the team has not been “receptive.”
“They’ve heard these offers, they’ve heard what teams are wanting in terms of Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, but there’s no movement on that front. The expectation around the league is that neither player will be moved before the trade deadline,” Siegel said.
When it comes to moves the Pelicans will make, it looks to be more “around the edge” with names like Jordan Poole and Jose Alvarado being mentioned.
“It seems like the Pelicans will be making moves around the edge,” Siegel said. “Whether that involves Jordan Poole, Jose Alvarado is a name that keeps coming up. And the word around the Pelicans also is that they’re trying to move back into the first round. They want to try and get another first-round pick for 2026 after they traded that away.”
At any rate, Siegel would say that teams are looking at Murphy and Jones as “pipe dreams,” meaning that they are likely not moved, but it remains to be seen with New Orleans at an 8-26 record, as they take on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
