The 3-20 New Orleans Pelicans are in a complete free fall at the moment, and it appears they are now willing to consider the possibility of parting ways with one of the most sought-after players in the NBA today. Jake Fischer’s latest comments on Insider Notebook suggest that the Pelicans no longer view Herb Jones as untouchable in trade talks.
“There are definitely teams that have told me as recently as today that New Orleans is now starting to listen and at least show some type of willingness to listen on guys like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy as well,” Fischer said. “And those guys are going to have a lot of interest around the league.
“They are both on very strong, long-term contracts that are considered relatively team-friendly,” Fischer stated. “Under $30 million in average annual value, which is a big threshold in this current market. We saw that in the rookie-scale extension situation this fall, where no one made north of $30 million.
“So, to have those guys on team control deals with numbers considered relatively modest, they’re going to have a lot of interest,” Fischer added. “But the Pelicans are going to hold a high asking price, and they’re going to need multiple first-round picks to move on from either of those guys.”
Jones signed a three-year, $68 million extension with the Pelicans in July and is now under contract through the 2029-30 campaign, for which he has a player option. It’s a pretty good contract, which makes him all the more attractive as a target for teams.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors were said to be among the teams actively exploring ways to acquire Jones. An outstanding defensive player like him could certainly help them both.
Jones is averaging 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Pelicans in 2025-26, while shooting a respectable 36.2% from beyond the arc. The 27-year-old is one of the better 3-and-D players around.
Jones, who made the All-Defensive First Team in 2024, is exactly the kind of athletic wing defender that the Lakers need, but the asking price is too high for them. They only have one tradeable first-round pick at the moment.
Of course, the Lakers can make up for that by including some high-value players, but they won’t be parting with any of theirs. Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves are going nowhere, which means Rui Hachimura is the best player they’d be including in a potential package.
Hachimura and one first-round pick aren’t going to be enough for Jones, especially when there is competition. You’d imagine the Lakers would have to get a third team involved, which complicates matters.
The Warriors won’t face this problem, as they do have multiple first-rounders that they can trade. Draymond Green has been very critical of their defense, and Jones would elevate them on that end of the floor.
The Warriors have now dropped to 11-12 on the season, and much of that early-season optimism surrounding this team has vanished. Jones could give them the spark they need to get back on track.
As for why the Pelicans are open to moving Jones, Fischer stated they are now focusing on building around Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
