The Pelicans can’t enter another season with the same roster structure and expect a different result.
They finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 26-56 record, placing 11th in the Western Conference and missing the postseason for the second consecutive year. Their 114.4 offensive rating ranked near the bottom third of the league, while their 118.9 defensive rating ranked 25th. The final result was a negative-4.5 net rating.
Injuries remained a major factor, but the roster also lacked balance. The Pelicans had several players who needed the ball, limited reliable three-point shooting, and too few defenders capable of surviving difficult defensive matchups.
Jordan Poole struggled during his first season with the team. Dejounte Murray returned late from his Achilles injury, but his age and contract don’t fit perfectly with the younger timeline.
The Pelicans should protect Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, and Derik Queen. Murphy posted 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 47.0% from the field and 37.9% from three. Queen produced 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists during a strong rookie season. Williamson still gave the team 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists when available.
Building around those three requires a more aggressive plan.
These proposed trades would move several assets for proven playoff players. The final roster would have more shooting, more positional size, and a higher offensive ceiling without trading Murphy, Williamson, or Queen.
1. Replace Jordan Poole With Jerami Grant
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jerami Grant
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jordan Poole
This is the most direct trade of the three.
Jordan Poole will carry a $34.0 million cap hit in 2026-27 before entering unrestricted free agency. Jerami Grant will earn approximately $34.2 million next season and holds a $36.4 million player option for 2027-28.
The salary difference is minimal, allowing both teams to complete the deal without adding another player.
For the Pelicans, the basketball argument is simple. Poole didn’t provide enough efficient scoring, playmaking, or defense to justify his contract and role.
Poole played only 39 games during the 2025-26 season. He finished with 13.4 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 37.2% from the field. He had several strong scoring performances late in the year, including a 34-point game against the Jazz, but his overall production remained below expectations.
The Pelicans acquired Poole to add another perimeter scorer. Instead, his shooting inconsistency and defensive limitations added more problems to a roster that already lacked stability.
Grant would give the Pelicans a larger and more efficient forward. He produced 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists across 57 appearances for the Trail Blazers. He shot 45.3% from the field, 38.9% from three, and finished with a career-high 60.8% true shooting percentage.
Grant doesn’t need to control the ball for long possessions. He can score from spot-up opportunities, attack closeouts, and punish smaller defenders in the post. His shooting would give Williamson and Queen more room to operate near the basket.
A Murphy, Grant, and Williamson frontcourt would also give the Pelicans three forwards capable of scoring more than 18 points on any night. Murphy and Grant would space the floor, while Williamson would remain the main interior scorer.
The deal also gives the Pelicans more lineup size. Grant can play either forward position and provide some minutes as a small-ball center. His defensive impact has declined from his best seasons, but he still provides more positional flexibility than Poole.
The Trail Blazers finished 42-40 and returned to the playoffs, but Grant’s contract remains difficult to justify beside a younger forward group. They already have Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara playing major roles. The team also went 15-10 without Grant during the regular season.
Trading Grant for Poole would remove the possible $36.4 million player option from the Trail Blazers’ 2027-28 salary sheet. Poole could provide bench scoring for one season or become an expiring contract used in another trade.
The Pelicans shouldn’t include a first-round pick. Grant is the better player, but the Trail Blazers would receive major financial flexibility by removing the final year of his contract.
This trade would turn one disappointing season of Poole into a forward who fits better beside the three protected players.
2. Turn Dejounte Murray Into Dillon Brooks And Grayson Allen
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen
Phoenix Suns Receive: Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey
This trade would be more difficult for the Pelicans because Dejounte Murray remains a talented all-around guard. However, moving him could create a more balanced roster.
Murray returned late in the season after recovering from an Achilles injury. He appeared in 14 games and produced 16.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.4 rebounds.
His playmaking helped the Pelicans, but the team now needs to decide whether it wants to continue paying him more than $30.0 million per season. Murray will carry a cap hit of approximately $32.8 million in 2026-27 and holds a player option for the following year. He will also turn 30 before next season.
The Suns finished 45-37 and placed seventh in the Western Conference. They reached the playoffs but were swept by the Thunder in the first round. Their roster had scoring, but it still lacked a traditional lead guard capable of organizing the offense beside Devin Booker and Jalen Green.
Murray would address that need. He could control the ball, create easier shots for Booker, and reduce the number of possessions Booker needs to initiate. Saddiq Bey would replace some of the wing scoring lost by moving Dillon Brooks. Bey gave the Pelicans 17.7 points per game during the season and would provide the Suns with another offensive forward.
For the Pelicans, Brooks and Allen would bring two specific skills the roster lacked. Brooks posted a career-high 20.2 points per game while adding 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He remained responsible for difficult perimeter assignments and regularly defended the opposing team’s leading wing scorer.
The Pelicans ranked 25th in defensive rating. Brooks alone wouldn’t solve that problem, but he would give them a physical point-of-attack defender after moving Herb Jones in the later proposal.
Brooks could start or become the first forward off the bench. He could defend guards, wings, and some larger forwards while allowing Murphy to use more energy as a scorer. Allen would give the Pelicans another type of player they need.
He produced a career-high 16.5 points and 3.8 assists despite playing only 51 games. His three-point percentage fell to 34.9%, but he attempted 8.9 threes per game and still demanded defensive attention.
Allen can shoot from spot-up situations, movement actions, and several feet behind the three-point line. Defenders can’t regularly leave him to help against Williamson. His passing would also help. Allen isn’t only a shooter. He can attack closeouts, handle secondary pick-and-roll possessions, and make quick decisions when the defense rotates.
Brooks and Allen combined for 36.7 points per game last season. They would also provide more lineup flexibility than Murray and Bey. The Pelicans could play Allen and Brooks for maximum shooting, use Brooks and Murphy for more defense, or place both players on the floor with Murphy and Williamson.
Financially, this trade is close to equal. Murray and Bey combine for approximately $39.2 million in 2026-27 cap salary. Brooks and Allen combine for approximately $39.1 million.
The Pelicans shouldn’t include draft compensation. Murray is the best playmaker in the deal, while Bey is younger than both Brooks and Allen. The Suns would be receiving two useful starters while addressing their lead-guard problem.
This trade would sacrifice Murray’s individual creation, but the Pelicans would receive two established playoff rotation players who fit better around the new roster.
3. Make A High-Risk Blockbuster For Ja Morant
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Herb Jones, Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Hawkins, Kevon Looney
This would be the largest move and the most dangerous one. Ja Morant’s trade value has fallen considerably. He played only 20 games during the 2025-26 season and finished with 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 41.0% from the field.
The Grizzlies finished 25-57 and have already moved deeper into a rebuild after trading Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. They also hold the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Grizzlies listened to Morant offers before the trade deadline, but his market was limited. Concerns about injuries, declining production, his contract, and previous off-court problems reduced the number of teams prepared to make a serious offer.
Morant is scheduled to earn $42.2 million in 2026-27 and $44.9 million in 2027-28. He has appeared in only 79 games across the past three seasons. Those numbers create a major risk for the Pelicans. Williamson has also struggled with availability. Building around two stars with long injury histories could create another failed project.
However, Morant remains the type of lead guard who could transform the Pelicans’ offense. At his best, he is one of the league’s strongest paint attackers. He forces defensive rotations, creates transition opportunities, and generates easy shots for teammates. Pairing him with Williamson would give the Pelicans two elite rim-pressure players.
Murphy would receive more open three-point opportunities. Grant and Allen would stretch the defense. Queen would benefit as a cutter, screener, and elbow passer.
The Pelicans also wouldn’t need Morant to produce 27 points every night. Murphy, Williamson, Grant, Allen, Brooks, and Queen would provide enough scoring to reduce his workload.
The outgoing package is significant. Herb Jones remains one of the NBA’s strongest defensive wings. Even after a difficult offensive season in which he produced 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, his ability to defend several positions still carries major value.
Jeremiah Fears is the main young asset. Fears played all 82 games during his rookie season and finished with 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He also recorded a franchise rookie record with a 40-point performance against the Jazz before scoring 36 points in each of the final two games.
Trading Fears would be painful. He is only 19 years old and has the athletic ability to become a starting-level creator. However, the Pelicans would be trading him for a two-time All-Star who is still only 26 years old. The risk is considerable, but Morant’s current value could give the Pelicans an opportunity that usually isn’t available.
Jordan Hawkins would provide the Grizzlies with another young perimeter scorer on a rookie contract. Kevon Looney’s $8.0 million team option would need to be exercised to complete the salary match.
The Grizzlies would receive a young lead guard, an elite defensive wing, a shooting prospect, and an expiring veteran center. They wouldn’t receive a first-round pick, but Fears already carries the value of a recent top-seven selection.
The Pelicans shouldn’t add a first-round pick. Morant’s health, contract, and recent production already create enough risk.
This trade would either move the Pelicans back into the playoff race or create another expensive roster built around unavailable stars. It is still worth exploring because the possible return is much higher than the acquisition price usually required for a player with Morant’s previous production.
How The Pelicans Would Look After All Three Trades
Completing all three trades would create one of the NBA’s most unusual rotations.
The Pelicans would keep Murphy, Williamson, and Queen while adding Morant, Grant, Brooks, and Allen. They would lose depth, defensive stability, and two important young players in Fears and Jones, but they would replace those losses with a much higher offensive ceiling.
The main projected starting lineup would be:
PG: Ja Morant
SG: Trey Murphy III
SF: Jerami Grant
PF: Zion Williamson
C: Derik Queen
The size would be difficult for opponents to match. Murphy stands 6-foot-8, Grant is 6-foot-7, Williamson is one of the league’s strongest forwards, and Queen can create from the center position. Queen’s passing would be important. He produced 3.7 assists per game as a rookie and could operate from the elbow while Morant and Williamson cut toward the basket.
However, the starting lineup would have spacing limitations. Morant, Williamson, and Queen aren’t high-level three-point shooters. The Pelicans would need Murphy and Grant to shoot at a high volume. The main bench group would include Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic
Allen and Brooks would probably play starter-level minutes despite beginning games on the bench. Allen would provide shooting and secondary creation. Brooks would take the most difficult perimeter defensive assignment.
The best offensive closing lineup would likely be Morant, Allen, Murphy, Grant, and Williamson. That group would place four shooters or creators around Williamson while still maintaining enough size.
The best two-way closing lineup would probably use Morant, Brooks, Murphy, Grant, and Williamson. Brooks would replace Allen when the Pelicans need stronger perimeter defense.
Queen would still play a large role, but he wouldn’t need to close every game. His minutes would depend on the opposing center and the amount of spacing required.
The three trades would increase the Pelicans’ listed 2026-27 cap salaries by approximately $4.4 million before adding the remaining roster spots. The front office would likely need to make a small follow-up move or operate above the luxury-tax line.
This roster wouldn’t be safe. Morant and Williamson would need to remain available. The defense could still struggle, and the Pelicans would be moving two of their strongest young assets.
However, continuing with the current roster provides little reason for confidence.
A core of Morant, Murphy, Grant, Williamson, and Queen would give the Pelicans enough talent to return to the playoffs. Allen and Brooks would give them experienced rotation players who fit around that core.
The Pelicans need to choose a direction. This three-trade plan would be expensive and aggressive, but it would finally create a roster built to compete immediately without sacrificing Murphy, Williamson, or Queen.
