It has been another disappointing season thus far for the New Orleans Pelicans as they currently sit 14th in the Western Conference standings with a 13-39 record.
Of course, New Orleans missed the playoffs last season after finishing 14th in the West standings last season and it appears as though they are heading towards another year in which they miss the postseason this year.
To make matters worse for the Pelicans, they also do not own their first-round pick in the 2026 draft after including it in the deal with the Atlanta Hawks during the 2025 draft to trade up and draft Derik Queen.
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Because of this, New Orleans may elect to make some moves ahead of the deadline to add more draft capital, which has put some of their key players in Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones is trade rumors.
Pelicans Could Look to Trade Jordan Poole Ahead of Trade Deadline
Another player who has been in trade rumors for the Pelicans is former Golden State Warriors champion Jordan Poole, especially with him falling out of their rotation.
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Because of this, New Orleans may look to trade away Poole to add more draft capital or another key player.
One player who continues to be linked to the Pelicans is Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine and with the Kings possibly looking to begin a rebuild, they may be interested in swapping LaVine for Poole.
Mock Trade Sends Jordan Poole to Kings, Zach LaVine to Pelicans
In a potential trade, the Pelicans could send a package of Poole, Kevon Looney, Jose Alvarado and draft capital to the Kings in exchange for LaVine.
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Of course, LaVine’s trade value has dipped, mainly due to his massive contract, though the Pelicans may show interest in swapping Poole for him to add another key scorer to their lineup.
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For LaVine, he would provide the Pelicans with a reliable scorer who could fit well alongside Williamson, Murphy III and the rest of their core, as long as they decide to keep it together ahead of the trade deadline.
This season, the 30-year-old guard is averaging 19.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 48.3% from the field and 39.5% from three.
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While LaVine’s addition could be a solid move for the Pelicans to make, they may instead look to trade some of their key players for assets to help with their rebuild, which could cause them to look elsewhere outside of LaVine.
Either way, it would not be a surprise to see the Pelicans make some key moves ahead of the trade deadline, especially with them still being stuck in a rebuild.