<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-rumors-herb-jones-is-most-popular-lakers-trade-target-but-theres-a-pelicans-problem');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Herb Jones is most popular Lakers trade target, but there’s a Pelicans problem');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Herbert-Jones-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Herb Jones is most popular Lakers trade target, but there’s a Pelicans problem</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-11T13:03:13-08:00">December 11th, 1:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-11T13:03:13-08:00">December 11th, 1:03pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trade <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-rumors-espn-suggests-warriors-trade-draymond-green-jonathan-kuminga-for-anthony-davis-with-lakers-twist">chatter around the Los Angeles Lakers (17–7) continues to intensify</a>, but the team’s most frequently linked target may not be attainable. According to a Thursday report from The Athletic’s Dan Woike, New Orleans Pelicans wing Herbert Jones sits atop the Lakers’ internal wish list — yet league signals indicate the Pelicans have no interest in making him available.</p><p>Woike wrote that rival scouts and executives most often identify Jones as the Lakers’ preferred target. However, he noted two immediate barriers: Jones cannot be traded until Jan. 14 due to the three-year extension he signed in July, and New Orleans has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6881281/2025/12/11/lakers-defense-trades-nba-cup-loss/" rel="noopener">shown no willingness to discuss a deal</a>.</p><p>“While Lakers fans can fantasize about some all-out liquidation of the three-win Pelicans’ roster, team and league sources tell The Athletic that New Orleans is not interested in moving Jones,” Woike wrote. “And considering what LA would have to offer in a deal, expiring contracts and a single first-round pick, the Pelicans almost certainly wouldn’t engage at that price point.”</p><p>Jones, 27, earned All-Defensive First Team honors in 2024 and is widely regarded as one of the league’s best point-of-attack defenders. He is averaging 9.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from three across 17 appearances. Jones signed a three-year, $68 million extension in July, though that contract does not begin until the 2027–28 season. He is making $13.9 million this season on his current deal.</p><h2><b>Pelicans unwilling to move Herb Jones, limiting Lakers’ trade hopes</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Herbert-Jones-2-dribbles-against-San-Antonio-Spurs-forward-Keldon-Johnson-0.jpg"><figcaption>© Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Woike’s report also outlined skepticism around the Lakers’ draft capital, noting that their future first-round pick — likely in 2031 or 2032 — is not viewed as highly as it once was. The belief around the league, he wrote, is that owner Mark Walter’s track record with the Los Angeles Dodgers reduces the likelihood of a dramatic franchise downturn that would make such a pick significantly more valuable.</p><p>Even beyond Jones, the broader market for defensive-minded guards and wings remains thin. Woike mentioned Sacramento’s Keon Ellis as another example of a player valued enough that prying him loose would require meaningful assets — something the Lakers may not be positioned to offer.</p><p>The lack of available high-level defenders leaves Los Angeles relying on internal improvement. LeBron James continues to work back into rhythm after missing preseason and the season’s opening month, while Marcus Smart — the Lakers’ top individual defender — has already missed 10 games and has shared the floor with James only four times.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-austin-reaves-weakness-la-fix-prove-rich-paul-wrong">Los Angeles begins a four-game road trip Sunday against the Phoenix Suns</a> (14–11) at 8 p.m. ET, following its <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-fatal-flaw-on-full-display-in-ugly-nba-cup-loss-to-spurs">NBA Cup quarterfinal loss to the San Antonio Spurs</a> on Thursday night. New Orleans, meanwhile, will attempt to halt a seven-game losing streak when it hosts the Portland Trail Blazers (9–15) on Thursday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Herb Jones is most popular Lakers trade target, but there’s a Pelicans problem

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/nba-rumors-magic-coach-jamahl-mosley-floated-pelicans-candidate-replace-willie-green');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley floated as Pelicans candidate to replace Willie Green');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jamahl-Mosley-reacts-during-the-first-half-against-the-Houston-Rockets.jpg"><figcaption>© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley floated as Pelicans candidate to replace Willie Green</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T10:42:00-08:00">November 18th, 10:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T10:42:00-08:00">November 18th, 10:42am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Orlando Magic’s uneven start to the 2025–26 season has led to early speculation around head coach Jamahl Mosley’s long-term future with the franchise. At 7–7, Orlando has struggled to gain traction following a 1–4 opening stretch, and a new report suggests Mosley’s name has <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-jake-fischer-latest-starts-in" rel="noopener">surfaced as a potential target</a> for the New Orleans Pelicans’ vacancy.</p><p>According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Mosley is a coach the Pelicans would have interest in pursuing as a replacement for Willie Green, who was dismissed last week following a 2–10 start.</p><p>Fischer wrote:</p><p>“Another coaching name I’ve heard that would interest the Pelicans but is not currently available to them: Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley.</p><p>Green began the season on the shakiest footing of any coach in the league but Orlando is another situation that frequently grabs the attention of the league’s traveling whisperers in the scouting community. The main reason for that, of course, is the high expectations in the Magic Kingdom in an injury-weakened East after the splashy offseason acquisition of Desmond Bane.”</p><h2><b>Pelicans interest grows as Magic adjustments and slow start spotlight Jamahl Mosley</b></h2><p>Fischer also pointed to the Magic’s offseason staff changes, including the arrival of veteran assistant Joe Prunty, noting that several moves were made at the urging of president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman.</p><p>He added that Orlando’s strong response to its slow start had not gone unnoticed:</p><p>“To be clear, though, Mosley’s Magic have rebounded well from a 1–4 start. Orlando won five of its next seven games before a tough overtime loss Sunday night to the Houston Rockets.”</p><p>Before Paolo Banchero suffered a groin strain last week, the Magic’s starting lineup of Banchero, Bane, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. posted a 19.7 net rating across 101 minutes — an encouraging early-season indicator. Still, the team’s overall inconsistency has drawn outside attention, particularly its slippage on defense. Orlando entered Tuesday ranked 12th in defensive rating after placing top-three in each of the previous two seasons under Mosley.</p><h2><b>Pelicans’ coaching hunt coincides with reports of Mosley–Paolo Banchero strain</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jamahl-Mosley-speaks-to-forward-Paolo-Banchero-5-in-the-first-half-against-the-Toronto-Raptors.jpg"><figcaption>© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The report arrives amid <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-jamahl-mosley-beef-simmering-amid-disappointing-start">recent indications of tension between Mosley and Banchero</a>. According to RG’s Grant Afseth, team sources described the pair’s communication as “strained,” citing limited interaction during timeouts and concern that the two are not aligned.</p><p>“This is what a team looks like when a coach loses the locker room,” one source told Afseth. “He needs to figure it out fast. This is on track to go from being the fun young team with potential to being the disappointment that gets the coach fired.”</p><p>New Orleans dismissed Green after dropping 10 of its first 12 games and named James Borrego as interim head coach. Other candidates cited in Marc Stein’s reporting include <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-darvin-ham-willie-green-replacement">Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham</a> and former Brooklyn Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-warriors-vs-magic-injury-report-bunch-notable-names">Magic return home to open a three-game homestand</a> beginning Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors (9–6) as they attempt to stabilize their season and navigate injuries. Meanwhile, the Pelicans — now 2–12 and on a six-game losing streak following a 126–109 loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder — conclude their homestand Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets (10–3) at 8:30 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley floated as Pelicans candidate to replace Willie Green

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-joe-dumars-leaving-rivals-baffled-every-way');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Joe Dumars leaving rivals ‘baffled’ in almost every way');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Joe-Dumars-leaving-rivals-baffled-in-almost-every-way.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Joe Dumars leaving rivals ‘baffled’ in almost every way</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T09:57:56-08:00">November 18th, 9:57am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T11:14:46-08:00">November 18th, 11:14am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Joe Dumars’ tenure as the New Orleans Pelicans’ president of basketball operations has been a pleasant surprise; it’s just that it’s only been really pleasant for the other teams around the NBA, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-rival-teams-pelicans-fing-idiots-charge">not the Pelicans</a>.</p><p>Dumars, a longtime former executive with the Detroit Pistons, had been working in the NBA league office for a few years when Pelicans owner Gayle Benson hired him to be the team’s president, replacing David Griffin, who was fired after six years on the job. And while Dumars had plenty of success in Detroit, including an NBA title and Executive of the Year award, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6815281/2025/11/18/aj-dybantsa-pelicans-warriors-nba/" rel="noopener">he has not been getting</a> such high marks for his work — or lack thereof — in New Orleans.</p><p>“Shortly after taking over as president of the New Orleans Pelicans in July, Joe Dumars spoke to his team’s scouting department and emphasized two things — first, that character was of the utmost importance, and second, whoever they brought in had to be able to defend,” The Athletic’s John Hollinger wrote.</p><p>“Shortly after he departed, those same scouts looked at their phones and were shocked to see the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-why-jordan-poole-trade-is-coming-under-increased-scrutiny-after-firing-willie-green">Pelicans had traded for Jordan Poole</a> — a subpar defender whose attitude questions had dogged him for years; his comportment has already raised eyebrows in his limited time in New Orleans.</p><p>“That story, which made the rounds at Summer League and was recently reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, is merely one of the many entertaining tales in circulation about the Pelicans’ dysfunction over the last half year since team governor Gayle Benson hired Dumars.”</p><p>Hollinger continued to write that Dumars, who was reportedly hired without much in the way of an extensive search, has “outsourced nearly the entire job” to his general manager, former Detroit exec Troy Weaver, and, as a result, has a position that is “only slightly more demanding than <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-rumors-aspiration-execs-baffled-kawhi-leonard-deal-but-did-they-think-was-salary-cap-circumvention">Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement contract</a> with Aspiration.”</p><p>Weaver’s hiring was also described as having “baffled” executives around the league, considering Weaver’s less-than-stellar job with the Pistons, who were among the worst teams under his leadership. Since partnering in New Orleans, Dumars and Weaver have made several moves, including the Poole trade and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">the deal for first-round draft pick Derik Queen</a>, that have been maligned by fans and analysts alike.</p><p>That <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned">trade for Queen</a>, in particular, remains a constant reminder to Dumars, Weaver, and the long-suffering Pelicans fanbase for the foreseeable future, as New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">dealt its unprotected first-round pick</a> in next year’s draft in the deal. And at 2-12, the worst record in the Western Conference, that pick is very likely going to be incredibly beneficial to the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>The Pelicans are set to host the 10-3 Denver Nuggets tomorrow night at 7 p.m. CT.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Joe Dumars leaving rivals ‘baffled’ in almost every way

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-star-thought-willie-green-had-gone-stale-it-wasnt-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Star thought Willie Green had gone ‘stale,’ but it wasn’t Zion Williamson');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Green-coaches-2.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Star thought Willie Green had gone ‘stale,’ but it wasn’t Zion Williamson</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-17T13:12:19-08:00">November 17th, 1:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-17T13:49:41-08:00">November 17th, 1:49pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Recently, the New Orleans Pelicans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-darvin-ham-willie-green-replacement">fired head coach Willie Green</a> amid their disastrous 2-11 start to the 2025-26 NBA season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-why-new-orleans-willie-green-firing-left-skip-bayless-stunned">The Pelicans entered</a> this season with the pressure on after trading their first round pick this past June, and so far, it’s looking like they may have given up a potentially hugely valuable asset.</p><p>Now, reports are surfacing about Green’s <a href="https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/2025/11/16/nba-intel-willie-greens-firing-joe-dumars-rough-stretch-and-whats-next-for-pelicans/87310189007/" rel="noopener">dynamic with some of his players</a> in the locker room.</p><p>“Green’s messaging had also become stale with Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III after playing for Green his entire Pelicans tenure as coach, league sources added. In addition, some players and members of the organization felt Green didn’t hold Zion Williamson accountable enough during his coaching tenure, sources said,” reported Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.</p><p>Murphy III got off to a bit of a rough start to this season after an outstanding year in 2024-25, but has since rebounded a bit. Meanwhile, Williamson has been in and out of the lineup due to injury, which of course has become a familiar theme throughout his tenure in New Orleans.</p><p>Overall, it remains to be seen who the Pelicans will hire to be their long term coach moving forward. As of now, the interim spot has been occupied by James Borrego, who has previously been a head coach in the NBA. As previously mentioned, the Pelicans traded their pick swap with the Bucks in 2026 to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the right to move up and draft Derik Queen this past draft, so New Orleans really can’t afford to be anywhere near as bad as they are right now.</p><p>Sitting at 2-11, it’s very hard to envision the Pelicans getting back in the mix in the crowded Western Conference playoff picture, and things don’t get any easier on Monday night, as they are set to host the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. That game will tip off at 8:00 pm ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Star thought Willie Green had gone ‘stale,’ but it wasn’t Zion Williamson

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-why-jordan-poole-trade-is-coming-under-increased-scrutiny-after-firing-willie-green');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Why Jordan Poole trade is coming under increased scrutiny after firing Willie Green');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Poole-at-practice.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Why Jordan Poole trade is coming under increased scrutiny after firing Willie Green</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-17T12:27:07-08:00">November 17th, 12:27pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-17T12:27:07-08:00">November 17th, 12:27pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans are currently in a rough patch, as the on-court product has not looked well, and off the court, things look like a mess as well. After their loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-fire-willie-green-nightmare-start">Willie Green was relieved of his duties</a> as head coach, which felt like it was bound to happen sooner rather than later.</p><p>One of the things that Green did earlier in the season was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-jordan-poole-decision-season">bring Jordan Poole off the bench</a> after they had traded for him in the offseason. The trade is now gaining scrutiny after Green has been fired, more specifically because it <a href="https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/2025/11/16/nba-intel-willie-greens-firing-joe-dumars-rough-stretch-and-whats-next-for-pelicans/87310189007/" rel="noopener">wasn’t the type of player</a> that Joe Dumars said that he wanted for the team, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.</p><p>“Poole’s player profile doesn’t match the description Dumars told his staff he sought shortly before making the trade,” Scotto wrote. “His salary was also considered a tough contract to move by rival NBA executives. However, Dumars’ right-hand man, Weaver, spearheaded that trade with his former Wizards colleagues and was a strong proponent of the Queen trade, as he knew him well, partly due to their local ties, league sources said.</p><p>“While Dumars and Weaver have identified young talent in the draft with Fears and Queen, their asset management has been heavily questioned around the league, along with the handling of the Green coaching situation, by NBA executives.”</p><p>Dumars and the Pelicans have gotten scrutinized since the draft, after they traded their first-round pick for next year to the Atlanta Hawks to move up and draft Queen. As of now, it looks like that draft pick might end up being good when looking at how they’re currently performing.</p><p>At this point, the only thing the Pelicans can do is hope to play better, and the season is still young, so anything is possible.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Why Jordan Poole trade is coming under increased scrutiny after firing Willie Green

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-darvin-ham-willie-green-replacement');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Darvin Ham among coaches linked as potential Willie Green replacement');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Pelicans-rumors-Darvin-Ham-among-coaches-linked-as-potential-Willie-Green-replacement.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Darvin Ham among coaches linked as potential Willie Green replacement</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-17T07:36:39-08:00">November 17th, 7:36am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-17T07:36:39-08:00">November 17th, 7:36am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-fire-willie-green-nightmare-start">New Orleans Pelicans are facing a crossroads, and the conversation now shifts to life after firing Willie Green</a>. With Green officially fired, attention turns to the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/best-pelicans-candidates-replace-willie-green-save-zion-williamson-career">growing list of replacements linked to the Pelicans head coach seat</a>. One name rising fast is Darvin Ham. Another is Kevin Ollie. And according to Marc Stein, both candidates are drawing early interest as the Pelicans begins mapping out its future.</p><p>Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/sunday-best-the-pelicans-mavericks?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=179077066&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">noted</a> that Darvin Ham, currently an assistant with Milwaukee, has surfaced as a serious name to watch. His presence carries weight. In Los Angeles, he guided the Lakers through playoff storms, won a title as a player, and built the kind of locker-room command front offices covet. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-where-pelicans-sit-with-willie-green-entering-brutal-five-game-homestand">As the Pelicans re-evaluate their direction, they need stability</a>. They need clarity. And they need someone who can keep stars aligned under the brightest lights. Ham checks many of those boxes.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ollie brings a different flavor, one rooted in development and culture. He won a national championship at UConn and later stepped in as interim head coach for the Nets, earning strong reviews. Moreover, Stein added that Troy Weaver, a respected voice in the Pelicans’ decision-making orbit, has long admired Ollie’s leadership style. That connection alone gives his candidacy real momentum as the search widens.</p><h2>What the Pelicans Want Next</h2><p>The Pelicans stand in a delicate moment. They have talent. They have youth. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-willie-greens-tenure-with-new-orleans-joe-dumars-hands">And yet the results have flattened, leading to Willie Green’s firing</a>. That is why ownership is weighing every angle. They want a coach who can maximize Zion Williamson while elevating the supporting cast around him. Stronger late-game identity is also a priority. And above all, they need a voice that pushes the roster without breaking the room.</p><p>Green leaves respected, but the Pelicans organization must decide which new voice becomes the missing spark. Ham offers championship framing. Ollie offers culture and development roots. Both represent a shift in tone, maybe even in ambition.</p><p>The pressure builds now. If the Pelicans want to rise in the West, which head coach will they trust to carry the climb?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Darvin Ham among coaches linked as potential Willie Green replacement

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-warriors-spurs-interested-trey-murphy-iii-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-guard-Trey-Murphy-III.jpg"><figcaption>Scott Wachter-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-22T11:23:40-07:00">August 22nd, 11:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-23T08:56:24-07:00">August 23rd, 8:56am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After the New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-former-nba-champion-contract">Pelicans signed Jaden Springer to the final spot</a> on their 15-man roster, they could be on the verge of moving Trey Murphy III amid reported interest from the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. Coming off the first 20-plus-point season of his four-year career with the Pelicans, Murphy III blossomed into an efficient scorer in 2024-25. He averaged 21.2 points on 45.4% shooting, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.</p><p>Ahead of next season, Murphy has piqued the Warriors and Spurs’ <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/jake-fischer-latest-jonathan-kuminga?utm_campaign=email-post&amp;r=3shtjf&amp;utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">interest</a>, according to The Stein Line’s NBA insider, Jake Fischer.</p><p>“Sources say that the Warriors have a strong affinity for Murphy and have made outreach to New Orleans as recently as this summer,” Fischer reported. “Yet sources say that the Pelicans, to be clear, have batted away calls for the 25-year-old, valuing him highly. The two-way forward will be playing on a contract in 2025-26 — at precisely $25 million — as desirable as his talent. Another team known to have registered trade interest in Murphy, sources say, is San Antonio.”</p><p>After inking a four-year, $112 million extension, the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III proved he was worth the investment last season when his scoring spiked from 14.8 points on 44.3% shooting. The 2021 17th overall pick also improved his defense while connecting on 36.1% three-point shooting, which is the kind of combination the Warriors and Spurs would appreciate in their respective backcourt.</p><h2><b>Dejounte Murray dunking ahead of 2025-26 campaign</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pelicans-guard-Dejounte-Murray.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>After the Pelicans signed Jaden Springer, their starting guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-dejounte-murray-dunking-surgery">Dejounte Murray posted a video of himself dunking</a> on social media. Murray, one of the many NBA players to suffer a torn Achilles in 2024-25, showcased his progress nearly seven months after he suffered the injury on January 31 against the Celtics.</p><p>Murray <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079/" rel="noopener">posted the clip of his dunk</a> on his X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“6 MONTHS AND THIS SH*T FEEL LIGHT!!!,” Murray said. “I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few!!!”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">6 MONTHS AND THIS SH*T FEEL LIGHT!!! 😁 I Catch Back Up With Y’all In A Few!!! 😤😈 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DM5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DM5</a>🖤 <a href="https://t.co/PuThC0u386">pic.twitter.com/PuThC0u386</a></p><p>— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) <a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray/status/1958300540913271079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Murray, who the Hawks traded away ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, was looking forward to a fresh start with the Pelicans. Seeing him go above the rim months before training camp is an encouraging sign for Pelicans fans. Still, the front office acquired some insurance in signing Springer to a nonguaranteed deal.</p><p>Springer appeared in a total of 17 games, including two starts, for the Jazz at a little over 13 minutes per game. He averaged 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists with splits of 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 70.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Warriors, Spurs interested in Trey Murphy III trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-bill-simmons-hypes-buzz-about-possible-relocation');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Bill Simmons hypes ‘buzz’ about possible relocation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Zion-Williamson.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Bill Simmons hypes ‘buzz’ about possible relocation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T06:49:03-07:00">July 24th, 6:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T06:49:03-07:00">July 24th, 6:49am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-rumors-rival-teams-pelicans-fing-idiots-charge">Pelicans have not been very fortunate</a> to have a good basketball team for some time, and a lot of people are starting to realize it. That could lead to bigger things, such as someone buying the team, or even bigger, buying the team and relocating it. In a recent podcast, Bill Simmons <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jFQTT6EwGc&amp;t=386s" rel="noopener">floated out the idea</a> of a possible Pelicans relocation to another city.</p><p>“I look at a situation like New Orleans. I don’t know what that team is worth in its current state. I don’t know what it’s worth with that,” Simmon said. “Like playing in the Smoothie King, playing in a market that clearly has not responded to basketball in the same way these other markets. And it’s like if somebody bought them and just moved them to Seattle and paid everybody relocation fees and then you didn’t have to split your media rights, that seems like where this is headed.</p><p>“And I think there’s… I’m just gonna say it: I think there’s some buzz starting that way that this New Orleans thing maybe is the situation.”</p><p>New Orleans has not been known as a basketball city, and many people are more excited about the Saints than anything. It also doesn’t help that the basketball product isn’t good, which doesn’t make things any better.</p><h2><b>Should the Pelicans relocate?</b></h2><p>Simmons continued with his relocation talk and also mentioned that the Pelicans’ lease with the Smoothie King Center expires in a few years.</p><p>“I don’t mean to start panic on New Orleans basketball,” Simmons continued. “I’m also not sure there’s enough of a fan base in place to even care that much. But that lease at the Smoothie King lease expires, I think, in 2029. This is an experiment that has not worked for 50-plus years in New Orleans with professional basketball.</p><p>“If you and I owned a team and they asked us what we thought, and I’m like, ‘Well, we definitely have enough players to go to 32 teams,’ that doesn’t mean we should. We’re making so much money from the media rights. I’m not even sure what you could give me back that would make it worth it.”</p><p>In all honesty, all the Pelicans need to do is have a few years of consistent success, and talks like this wouldn’t happen. During the offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-trey-murphy-important-update-surgery">the team made some moves</a>, and they’re getting players back from injury, so there is a chance that things could be looking up for them.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Bill Simmons hypes ‘buzz’ about possible relocation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-rival-teams-pelicans-fing-idiots-charge');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Rival teams think Pelicans have ‘f***ing idiots’ in charge');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rival-teams-think-Pelicans-fing-idiots-charge.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Rival teams think Pelicans have ‘f***ing idiots’ in charge</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-03T09:14:34-07:00">July 3rd, 9:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-03T09:14:34-07:00">July 3rd, 9:14am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>To say front offices around the NBA do not think highly of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans">the New Orleans Pelicans’</a> executives would be a massive understatement.</p><p>In the aftermath of the Pelicans’ stunning and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/nba-rumors-hawks-couldnt-believe-pelicans-draft-trade-offer">highly criticized draft-day trade with the Atlanta Hawk</a>s, insiders have begun to report how dysfunctional and incompetent the New Orleans front office is believed to be by the rest of the NBA.</p><p>“The league wide skepticism on the Pelicans started when Joe Dumars was named the head of basketball operations and only grew when Troy Weaver was brought into the fold. When the Pelicans traveled up to Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine a month prior, the league had already placed a target on their back,” Pelicans insider Shamit Dua <a href="https://intheno.substack.com/p/queens-gambit-inside-the-pelicans" rel="noopener">wrote on his</a> ‘In The N.O.’ Substack.</p><p>“Man they were killing them up there,” one agent told Dua, referring to other front offices. “They think they got f—in idiots in charge. It got so bad, I just felt sorry.”</p><p>Dua also wrote that teams had been “jockeying for the privilege” to trade with the Pelicans.</p><p>“More than one executive jokingly expressed to me that the Pelicans are going to be their first call,” Dua wrote.</p><p>The perception of the Pelicans’ front office is about as unflattering as it could be — unless they were Nico Harrison following the Luka Doncic trade. Unfortunately for Pelicans fans, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-joe-dumars-sounds-off-derik-queen-trade-getting-panned">New Orleans made a similarly stupefying deal</a> that seemed to send the rest of the NBA and its media into a frenzy, but not in a good way.</p><p>On draft night, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">Pelicans traded a pair of picks</a>, including a seemingly very valuable 2026 first-rounder — it is the more favorable of the Pelicans and Bucks’ picks — for the No. 13 selection they used on Derik Queen. The instant reactions to the trade were brutal; popular podcaster <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/bill-simmons-calls-pelicans-draft-trade-with-hawks-one-of-dumbest-of-decade">Bill Simmons called the deal “one of the five dumbest trades of this decade,”</a> ClutchPoints’ Anthony F. Irwin said, “[i]t took all of 15 minutes for Joe Dumars to step in and grab the belt for worst exec,” and an assistant general manager in the league reportedly told The Athletic that it was “the worst trade, non-Luka division, that we’ve seen in at least a decade.”</p><p>So far this offseason, Dumars’ first since succeeding David Griffin at the head of the Pelicans’ front office, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-signs-3-time-nba-champion-warriors-free-agency">New Orleans has signed Kevon Looney</a> and traded away CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey. In addition to Queen, the Pelicans drafted Jeremiah Fears with the seventh pick and acquired second-round selection Micah Peavy from the Washington Wizards in the Poole and Bey deal.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Rival teams think Pelicans have ‘f***ing idiots’ in charge

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/atlanta-hawks/nba-rumors-hawks-couldnt-believe-pelicans-draft-trade-offer');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Hawks literally couldn’t believe Pelicans’ draft trade offer');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Derik-Queen-stands-with-NBA-commissioner-Adam-Silver.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Hawks literally couldn’t believe Pelicans’ draft trade offer</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-03T08:21:26-07:00">July 3rd, 8:21am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-03T08:21:26-07:00">July 3rd, 8:21am</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">New Orleans Pelicans traded up for the Atlanta Hawks’ No. 13 pick</a> of the 2025 NBA Draft, nobody could believe what had just occurred. Upon receiving the offer, even the Hawks reportedly did not believe the deal.</p><p>After fielding the phone call, Atlanta could not believe its “good fortune,” according to Pelicans reporter Shamit Dua. The front office <a href="https://intheno.substack.com/p/queens-gambit-inside-the-pelicans" rel="noopener">reportedly had to double-check</a> with New Orleans’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, Joe Dumars, before sending it through.</p><p>“Suffice to say — the league was stunned, and so was Atlanta,” Dua wrote. “The Hawks could not believe their good fortune. While the Pelicans would spend the next 24 hours facing enormous backlash for their reckless decision-making, Hawks executives weren’t shy about sharing the details behind the deal’s lopsided structure with rival teams… It got to the point where Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh called Joe Dumars directly to confirm for himself. The Hawks waited nervously for Dumars to confirm, hoping he would not realize what was going on and walk the trade back. But the Pelicans persisted, and the Hawks got their steal.”</p><p>The deal involved Atlanta sending the No. 13 pick to New Orleans in exchange for the No. 23 pick and a 2026 first-rounder. The Pelicans used their second lottery pick on Maryland center Derik Queen, while the Hawks settled on Georgia forward Asa Newell.</p><p>The highly criticized deal fell on Dumars’ shoulders. The recently-hired executive just used the No. 7 pick on guard Jeremiah Fears before trading up for a player in Queen, whom many saw as a mid-to-late first-round prospect.</p><h2><b>Hawks’ NBA Draft trades</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Atlanta-Hawks-head-coach-Quin-Snyder.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The trade capped off an eventful week for Atlanta. The Hawks notably acquired center Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics the week before the draft. The deal only cost them their original No. 22 pick — which turned out to be guard Drake Powell — guard Terance Mann and forward Georges Niang.</p><p>Since the draft, Atlanta has kept busy in free agency. They have since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/hawks-news-nickeil-alexander-walker-sign-and-trade-with-timberwolves">come to terms with free agents Nickeil Alexander-Walker</a>, Dorian Finney-Smith and Luke Kennard. The Hawks lost center Clint Capela, who signed with the Houston Rockets, but functionally replaced him with the more versatile Porzingis.</p><p>Given their moves, it is difficult to see Atlanta’s offseason as anything other than a massive success. Assuming Jalen Johnson returns to full strength, the Hawks have a strong chance of returning to the top of the Eastern Conference in 2025-2026.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Hawks literally couldn’t believe Pelicans’ draft trade offer

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-jonathan-kuminga-interest-obstacles');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Pelicans’ Jonathan Kuminga interest faces ‘considerable’ obstacles');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pelicans-want-Kuminga.jpg"><figcaption>Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Pelicans’ Jonathan Kuminga interest faces ‘considerable’ obstacles</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-02T08:50:52-07:00">July 2nd, 8:50am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-02T08:50:52-07:00">July 2nd, 8:50am</time><address><a>Rishav Bhat</a>Rishav is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Golden State Warriors</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jonathan Kuminga’s future at the Golden State Warriors continues to remain uncertain despite several teams maintaining an interest in the forward. The Warriors have sent out a qualifying offer of $7.9 million, which gives them the freedom to match free agency offers.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-looming-as-another-potential-jonathan-kuminga-suitor">New Orleans Pelicans are among multiple teams</a> interested in the 22-year-old. However, their pursuit faces considerable obstacles, the biggest being in the form of Kuminga’s wage demands, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.</p><p>Staying below the luxury tax has been a ‘perennial priority’ for the Pelicans’ ownership, and <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-hottest-and-freshest-nba-free?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=167325800&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">the ‘cap gymnastics’ needed to do so</a> while signing Kuminga have been described as considerable. The player has also drawn interest from the likes of the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and the Sacramento Kings. </p><p>However, JK is understood to be seeking a contract worth at least $30 million per season, something a lot of teams are struggling with. The Pelicans are still around $10 million below the luxury tax threshold and will need to move players in order to sign Kuminga at his current demands. </p><p>Drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game last season while shooting at over 50% from the field. However, there has been consistent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-jonathan-kuminga-subtly-jabs-steve-kerr-all-star-priority">tension between Jonathan Kuminga and head coach Steve Kerr.</a></p><p>Last season, Kerr publicly criticized Kuminga’s tendency to prioritize his shots over making team plays. He had started just 10 games in the regular season out of a total of 47 appearances. Kuminga also did not play a major role in the playoffs, starting just once in the postseason and playing 23.4 minutes per game, around a minute less than his regular-season average.</p><p>Given the scarcity of cap space in NBA free agency this year, the Warriors have a clear advantage in this scenario. They can simply wait it out and match any offers Kuminga receives, and a short-term return to Golden State might also be in the cards. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Pelicans’ Jonathan Kuminga interest faces ‘considerable’ obstacles

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-looming-as-another-potential-jonathan-kuminga-suitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jonathan-Kuminga.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T13:44:33-07:00">June 30th, 1:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T14:20:10-07:00">June 30th, 2:20pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/pelicans-news-new-orleans-trade-1st-round-picks-hawks-derik-queen">Pelicans are trying to improve their roster</a> this offseason, and they could be <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-absolute-latest-nba-free-agency?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=167190832&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">looking for a specific player</a> to make them better, according to The Stein Line.</p><p>“Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency, by contrast, is expected to be a slowing-moving process in Golden State,” the Stein Line wrote. “It did not appear, as of lunchtime Monday, that the Warriors or Kuminga’s representation had a specific resolution in mind for the 22-year-old forward’s immediate future.</p><p>“The bottom line is that Kuminga is a restricted free agent after the team extended the $7.9 million qualifying offer to him on Saturday, and Golden State does have some control over his future. Kuminga, as expected, won’t be accepting this qualifying offer and will meet with other teams interested in him, in addition to the Warriors, during the free agency period,” Siegel wrote.</p><p>The Pelicans would be an interesting fit for Kuminga, as they’ve made some changes over the past week. First, they made a trade to acquire Jordan Poole from the Washington Wizards, and he should be a nice addition next to the likes of Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones.</p><p>In the draft, they selected Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and they could be solid contributors on the team in their first year. Adding Kuminga would bring more talent to the team, but it most likely will depend on the price.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Pelicans ‘looming’ as another potential Jonathan Kuminga suitor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-new-orleans-huge-fans-intriguing-7-foot-draft-prospect');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: New Orleans ‘huge fans’ of intriguing 7-foot draft prospect');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khaman-Maluach.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: New Orleans ‘huge fans’ of intriguing 7-foot draft prospect</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-23T16:17:40-07:00">June 23rd, 4:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-23T16:17:40-07:00">June 23rd, 4:17pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans-perfect-outcome-no-7-pick-2025-nba-draft">Pelicans have the No. 7 pick</a> in the NBA Draft, and they could be looking at an array of talent with the selection. This draft offers some intriguing prospects in the lottery, and it would be hard to go wrong so early, especially with where the Pelicans are picking. As of now, it looks like they may be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-4-0-latest-intel-kevin-durant-trade" rel="noopener">interested in a center</a>, and Duke’s Khaman Maluach has come up, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.</p><p>“Where Maluach ends up is one of the biggest questions before the NBA Draft, given the vast interest existing from teams with top-10 picks,” Siegel wrote. “The Pelicans are said to be ‘huge fans’ of Maluach’s two-way potential, as one source stated, which makes sense given his length and athleticism that can coincide with Missi.</p><p>“There has also been smoke about [Derik] Queen being the Pelicans’ ultimate target, which is why he is in play with this seventh pick. What the Pelicans ultimately decide to do will greatly impact decisions made by the Nets and Toronto Raptors.</p><p>The Pelicans got some great center play from Yves Missi last season, but they definitely want to build depth in that area. A quality center alongside Zion Williamson could also be key in helping his game as well.</p><h2><b>Pelicans have their eyes on a few prospects</b></h2><p>The Pelicans have interest in a few players at the No. 7 pick, but the real question is will they be available when it’s time for them to draft. If they are, who will the Pelicans choose?</p><p>“The four prospects that come up the most in conversations around the league surrounding the Pelicans are Maluach, Queen, [Jeremiah] Fears, and [Ace] Bailey. While some have said the Pelicans aren’t wanting to move up for Bailey, multiple league sources have confirmed that multiple members of the front office are keen on the star potential that Bailey possesses.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-rumors-the-daryl-morey-reason-ace-bailey-is-still-in-play-with-third-pick">Bailey seemed to be a lock</a> for the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 3 pick, but over the past week, he declined to work out for them, which makes things a lot interesting on where he could go. The 76ers could still select him, but there have been rumors that he can drop now. If that’s the case and he’s still there at No. 7, the Pelicans may draft him.</p><p>Fears is another player that could fit well with the Pelicans, and he’s an interesting prospect they may decide to look at as well.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: New Orleans ‘huge fans’ of intriguing 7-foot draft prospect

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-new-orleans-targeting-specific-star-draft-prospect-with-trade-up');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: New Orleans targeting specific star draft prospect with trade up');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Rutgers-guard-Ace-Bailey-1.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: New Orleans targeting specific star draft prospect with trade up</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-13T12:45:01-07:00">June 13th, 12:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-13T12:45:01-07:00">June 13th, 12:45pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans hired a new executive vice president ahead of the 2025 offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-hire-joe-dumars-after-firing-david-griffin">Joe Dumars joins a regime that features Bryson Graham as the general manager</a> after years in the league offices. The new-look front office’s first big challenge is the 2025 NBA Draft.</p><p>The Pelicans received the seventh pick in the lottery, and one mock draft has them making a trade centered around <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-insider-calls-out-herb-jones-to-76ers-trade-speculation">Herb Jones for the Philadelphia 76ers’ pick at No. 3</a>. The team has their sights set on Rutgers guard Ace Bailey.</p><p>New Orleans went 21-61 last season to secure a top 10 pick. However, the Pelicans were ravaged by injuries, leaving fans wondering what their true ceiling is. With a potentially chaotic summer looming, bringing in the right player in the draft is a must for Dumars.</p><p>According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, New Orleans <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-mock-draft-40-the-latest-first-round-projections-plus-a-trade-that-could-shake-up-the-lottery-140311550.html" rel="noopener">is trying everything it can</a> to jump up the board. They want to pick Bailey, and O’Connor created a trade that would send Jones and picks to Philadelphia.</p><p>“League sources continue to cite the Pelicans as a team aggressively looking to move up in the draft, with most front-office executives believing Bailey is the target of new general manager Joe Dumars,” O’Connor said. “That’s why we’re mocking a trade here for this week’s mock, with Herb Jones and a low-value first in 2026 via the Pacers to move up four spots. Is there a chance Ace would make it all the way to the seventh pick? Sure. But unlikely, and this would assure the Pelicans get their man. Bailey is a ridiculous shot-making machine, capable of splashing contested jumpers from every spot on the floor and with the swagger of a throwback bucket-getter. But his shooting inconsistencies, plus his raw edges as a shot creator and defender, need sanding down to turn him into a full-on star.”</p><p>When compared to other prospects, Bailey is one of the biggest projects in this year’s draft class. However, the 6-foot-10 guard also has one of the highest ceilings. Dumars has less than two weeks to make a deal with Philadelphia and move up the board. If he and New Orleans can pull the deal off, Bailey would be a great addition.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: New Orleans targeting specific star draft prospect with trade up

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-pelicans-insider-calls-out-herb-jones-to-76ers-trade-speculation');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Pelicans insider calls out ‘BS’ Herb Jones-to-76ers trade speculation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Herbert-Jones-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Pelicans insider calls out ‘BS’ Herb Jones-to-76ers trade speculation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-13T12:10:13-07:00">June 13th, 12:10pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-13T12:10:13-07:00">June 13th, 12:10pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans insider Fletcher Mackel has pushed back against a <a href="https://x.com/FletcherWDSU/status/1933271020921892916" rel="noopener">recent trade rumor</a> involving defensive standout Herb Jones. The speculation suggested that Jones could be included in a package to help the Pelicans move up to the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-prime-candidate-vj-edgecombe-emerges-no-3-draft-possibilities">No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft</a>, potentially via a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.</p><p>On Thursday, Mackel refuted the report, writing on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he was told by an NBA source that the rumor was “BS.”</p><p>“I’m told from NBA source that rumors and speculation of Herb Jones being traded to Philadelphia 76ers as part of NOLA moving up to No. 3 in the draft are ‘BS’ and that that talk is probably coming from Sixers who are trying to up the price for 3rd overall pick,” Mackel posted.</p><h2><b>Pelicans unlikely to move Herb Jones without significant trade offer</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Herb-Jones-crowds-Trae-Young.jpg"><figcaption>Larry Robinson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>He added further context on Friday, clarifying that while no Pelicans player is considered untouchable under newly-hired executive vice president Joe Dumars, it would take a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/sources-pelicans-not-completely-shutting-door-herb-jones-trey-murphy-iii-trades-nba">significant offer to move a player like Jones</a>.</p><p>“NO ONE on Pelicans untouchable. Joe Dumars receiving calls about many players, could trade anyone. But…it would take ‘wow’ offer to move Herb/Trey,” Mackel wrote, referencing both Jones and forward Trey Murphy III.</p><p>Jones, 26, has emerged as a cornerstone of the Pelicans’ defense over the past four seasons. In 2024-25, he averaged 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range. He played 32.4 minutes per game across 20 appearances. Jones is under contract through the 2026-27 season, set to make $13.9 million next year and $14.8 million in the final year of his deal.</p><p>The Pelicans are undergoing a major organizational shift following a 21-61 campaign — the second-worst record in franchise history. The front office has already seen significant turnover, with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-hire-joe-dumars-after-firing-david-griffin">Dumars replacing David Griffin</a> and initiating a broad internal overhaul.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-perfect-outcome-no-7-pick-2025-nba-draft">New Orleans currently holds the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft</a>, scheduled for June 25–26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The event will be televised on ABC and ESPN. While speculation continues to swirl around the draft and possible trade targets, the latest report suggests that moving Herb Jones is unlikely unless a substantial offer is made.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Pelicans insider calls out ‘BS’ Herb Jones-to-76ers trade speculation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trade-offers-to-feature-bad-contracts-no-picks');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-on-March-17-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-03T08:05:35-07:00">June 3rd, 8:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-03T08:05:35-07:00">June 3rd, 8:05am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trey-murphy-iii-no-longer-untouchable">New Orleans Pelicans reportedly have no untouchables</a> on their team in regards to possible trades this offseason, the one name that has been centered around rumors has been Zion Williamson. With the recent <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-accused-rape-recent-la-court-filing">Los Angeles court filing that accuses the Pelicans forward of rape</a>, there’s no doubt that there could be teams looking the other way in acquiring him.</p><p>However, Shamit Dua of The N.O. podcast would give insight into how the rest of the league looks at the Williamson situation. Saying if a team were to offer a package for Williamson, New Orleans would get back<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfUX0WuSu0A&amp;t=1909s" rel="noopener"> “really bad contracts and likely no picks,”</a> giving an example with the Miami Heat.</p><p>“I’ve just been texting random executives across the league,” Dua said. “I was like, this is straight off asking people, like, would anyone touch Zion with a 10-foot pole? And there seems to be this general idea of like you kind of saw it with with like Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis that like there will be teams that do not necessarily care about the reputation provided they have enough general information to know that this is going to get settled out of court and the allegations won’t stick.”</p><p>“There will be teams who do not care, but those teams who do not care need to be sufficiently desperate, one, and two, they’re not going to give you anything of value,” Dua continued. “So you’re going to get really bad contracts and likely no picks. But if you do get a pick, it’s a late pick. So an example would be Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson for Zion and some small salary just to kind of make it even.”</p><h2><b>No Pelicans, including Zion Williamson, are untouchable</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-on-March-19-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-celtics-urged-wild-jaylen-brown-zion-williamson-trade">rumors of the Pelicans trading Williamson</a> will be ongoing throughout the summer, the question is if some teams want to have a player on the roster with allegations like rape. But as Dua said, there will be teams that “do not care,” but could get a relatively good deal out of him with the bad contracts and lack of picks as mentioned.</p><p>If there’s one thing for sure, the former first-overall pick <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-mock-draft-30-top-prospects-returned-to-college-but-plenty-of-talent-remains-heres-our-latest-look-at-every-pick-160546750.html" rel="noopener">is not untouchable</a>, or anybody on New Orleans for that matter, as said by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.</p><p>“There are no untouchables in New Orleans. League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster,” O’Connor reports. “They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer, depending on what opportunities become available.”</p><p>The Pelicans are looking to improve after finishing with a 21-61 record, which put them 14th in the West.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson trade offers to feature ‘bad contracts, no picks’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-trey-murphy-iii-no-longer-untouchable');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III no longer untouchable');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IMG_1601.jpeg"><figcaption>Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III no longer untouchable</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-30T18:16:49-07:00">May 30th, 6:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-30T18:16:49-07:00">May 30th, 6:16pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans shook up their front office this year when they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-hire-joe-dumars-after-firing-david-griffin">fired David Griffin and hired Joe Dumars</a> as the new president of basketball operations. With the offseason approaching and the NBA Draft less than one month away, questions continue to surround the Pelicans in terms of what direction they will take this offseason. If rumors are to be believed, Pelicans stars Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III could be available via trade.</p><p>It’s not definitive at all that the Pelicans would make Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy available via trade, but the latest rumors say that <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/mock/?view=default&amp;board=0&amp;filter=round%3Aall&amp;utm_content=bufferfe862&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">nobody on the roster is untouchable</a>, as per Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.</p><p>“There are no untouchables in New Orleans. League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster,” O’Connor reports. “They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer depending on what opportunities become available.”</p><p>The Pelicans had a disappointing 2024-25 season that saw them <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/raptors-news-pelicans-trade-brandon-ingram-nba-deadline">trade Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors</a> at the deadline. They finished the season at 21-61 and missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the past eight seasons. Despite having a good shot at the No. 1 overall pick in the draft by virtue of having the fourth-worst record in the NBA, they were bumped out of the top five and will draft at No. 7.</p><p>Part of what’s made the past few seasons disappointing for the Pelicans is they could never stay healthy. During this season alone, most of their top players, including Williamson, Ingram, Murphy, Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones all missed significant time due to injury. In Murray and Jones’ cases, they both suffered season-ending injuries.</p><p>This is a major offseason for the Pelicans as they are faced with the decision of either still trying to salvage this current core, or blowing it up and entering a rebuild.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III no longer untouchable

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-bucks-star-ideal-zion-williamson-pelicans-partner');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Bucks star named ‘ideal’ Zion Williamson Pelicans partner');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bucks-star-ideal-Zion-Williamson-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Bucks star named ‘ideal’ Zion Williamson Pelicans partner</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-26T11:54:47-07:00">May 26th, 11:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-26T11:54:47-07:00">May 26th, 11:54am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Milwaukee Bucks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/nba-rumors-why-pelicans-team-monitor-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade">Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans</a> are both in interesting positions as they enter the 2025 offseason. For Milwaukee, the future is completely unknown as it awaits to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo will be traded. New Orleans, meanwhile, would appear to be in a rebuild, but the question marks <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/players/adc009ff/zion-williamson">around Zion Williamson</a> remain.</p><p>Williamson, the oft-injured superstar who has been much criticized for his weight, work ethic, and general off-the-court issues, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-lottery-decision-means-trade-talks">stunningly represented the Pelicans during the NBA Draft lottery</a> earlier this month. The move was reportedly a sign that New Orleans, despite reports indicating otherwise earlier in the offseason, plans to stick with Williamson for the time being as its cornerstone player.</p><p>If the Pelicans choose to do so, they will need to reshape the roster to give Williamson the help required to make the playoffs in a highly competitive Western Conference. And, according to ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, the Pelicans<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45320766/nba-free-agent-rankings-futures-lebron-turner-more-stars" rel="noopener"> might look toward</a> Milwaukee to add reinforcements.</p><p>The Bucks will be without Damian Lillard for most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season as a result of a torn Achilles tendon. That, combined with another first-round playoff exit, has Antetokounmpo considering leaving Milwaukee 12 years after being drafted by the Bucks.</p><p>Whether he does or not, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-rumors-exec-makes-lakers-quip-about-bucks-star-not-giannis">Brook Lopez, who joined Antetokounmpo</a> and the Bucks back in 2018, could be on his way out of Milwaukee and, potentially, into New Orleans.</p><p>“Having turned 37 in April, Lopez has slowed as a rim protector, a factor in the Bucks taking him out of the starting lineup for the first time since March 2022 during Game 5 of their first-round loss to the Pacers,” Pelton wrote. “But his 31.8 MPG in the regular season were his most in nearly a decade, and Lopez missed just two games all season while shooting his usual 37% from 3-point range. If Milwaukee moves on for financial reasons, Lopez should have a strong midlevel market. Scouts anticipate some regression from Lopez but still see a capable starting center in most matchups.</p><p>Possible fits: If the Pelicans are trying to win now and committed to Zion Williamson — two big ifs — Lopez would be an ideal frontcourt partner and take pressure to perform off developing centers Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. The Warriors could try to bring the former Stanford big man back to the Bay Area, either via sign-and-trade or opening up their nontaxpayer midlevel.”</p><p>Entering the offseason, the Pelicans’ frontcourt includes the likes of Williamson, Missi, Matkovic, Herb Jones, Kelly Olynyk, and Trey Murphy III. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Mo Bamba are both unrestricted free agents.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Bucks star named ‘ideal’ Zion Williamson Pelicans partner

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-all-defensive-star-herb-jones-pinpointed-valuable-trade-target');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans rumors: The All-Defensive star pinpointed as valuable trade target');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Herbert-Jones-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans rumors: The All-Defensive star pinpointed as valuable trade target</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-23T12:17:21-07:00">May 23rd, 12:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-23T12:17:21-07:00">May 23rd, 12:17pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the season over for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-celtics-urged-wild-jaylen-brown-zion-williamson-trade">the New Orleans Pelicans, rumors are the club could make some trades</a> this offseason with Joe Dumars running the show now. Buzz is growing that All-Defensive star, Herb Jones, could be a valuable target in the trade market.</p><p>Brett Siegel reports that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/celtics-offseason-trade-intel-after-jayson-tatum-injury-siegels-scoop">numerous teams could be offering</a> the Pelicans some sort of trade package for the 26-year-old forward. It’s said that Dumars plans to build a roster around star Zion Williamson, and Jones could be a key piece for New Orleans to maximize value. This comes despite Jones dealing with a labrum tear this offseason.</p><p>“Rival teams are once again pinpointing Herb Jones as a high-level offseason target from the New Orleans Pelicans, sources said. David Griffin, who was a huge fan of Jones’ two-way potential, is no longer running things in NOLA, as Joe Dumars has inherited a roster he will need to make decisions about, starting with which players to have around Zion Williamson. Jones is currently rehabbing from a labrum tear in his right shoulder, yet a lot of uncertainty surrounds his future with the Pelicans under Dumar’s leadership.”</p><p>Herb Jones is coming off another solid campaign, showing off his defensive skills and potential to become a legitimate two-way player in the NBA. The Pelicans’ forward finished off the regular season averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He also shot 43.6% from the field and 30.6% from beyond the arc.</p><p>New Orleans owns the No. 7 pick overall of the 2025 NBA Draft. It gives the team an opportunity to add an exciting prospect to the roster for next season. Considering the Pelicans finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 21-61 record, it’s possible the front office makes drastic moves to the roster to build for the future.</p><p>That’s likely why Jones’ name continues to swirl in the rumor mill. Nothing is for certain just yet, but with the NBA Draft kicking off on June 25, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-rumors-zion-williamson-lottery-decision-means-trade-talks">Pelicans certainly could make big moves</a> in the coming weeks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans rumors: The All-Defensive star pinpointed as valuable trade target

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/nba-rumors-celtics-urged-wild-jaylen-brown-zion-williamson-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics urged to pull off wild Jaylen Brown-Zion Williamson trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Brown-and-Williamson.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics urged to pull off wild Jaylen Brown-Zion Williamson trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-21T14:41:11-07:00">May 21st, 2:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-21T16:50:58-07:00">May 21st, 4:50pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Recently, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-brad-stevens-hits-boston-with-reality-knicks-loss">Boston Celtics’ 2024-25 season came to an end</a> with a crushing Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks. While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-brad-stevens-reveals-amazing-turnaround-time-jayson-tatum-surgery">Jayson Tatum injury</a> sustained in Game 4 may have sealed the deal for the Celtics, the team was already on the verge of going down 3-1 by the time that incident occurred.</p><p>Now the Celtics are faced with an offseason that has more questions than answers, particularly as the team navigates a potential 2025-26 season with Tatum sidelined.</p><p>Recently, NBA insider Wes Goldberg of The Ringer toyed with some ideas of how the Celtics could simultaneously decrease their roster payroll this offseason while also positioning themselves to be back in contention once Tatum returns, and he included a <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2025/05/19/nba/boston-celtics-nba-trade-rumors-jayson-tatum-injury" rel="noopener">wild trade idea</a> in the discussion.</p><p>Goldberg proposed that the Celtics “trade (Jaylen) Brown to New Orleans for Zion Williamson, a 2026 pick swap with Milwaukee, and a Pelicans 2029 first, then waive Williamson before his July 15 guarantee date,” per The Ringer.</p><p>Goldberg noted that the trade “would save the Celtics the whole of Brown’s contract, drop them under the luxury tax, and give them valuable assets to retool the roster.”</p><h2><b>Trading Jaylen Brown is a wild idea for the Celtics</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Celtics-insider-trade-starters-ignite-rebuild.jpg"><figcaption>© David Butler II- Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Trading away the 2024 Finals MVP for what would essentially amount to a salary dump with some draft considerations attached would probably not be most Celtics fans’ idea of a good offseason for the organization.</p><p>However, the Celtics will undoubtedly be looking to shed salary this summer, and they may not be able to get off the contracts of Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis without sending away major future assets, which could open the door for them to potentially take calls on Jaylen Brown.</p><p>Still, with the Eastern Conference as weak as it is, it’s hard to imagine Boston completely throwing in the towel on the 2025-26 season, even if Tatum misses most or all of it.</p><p>Whatever ends up happening, the Celtics will likely look vastly different in a couple of months than the team that won the 2024 NBA championship.</p><p>The NBA trade market will open back up once the Finals conclude in June.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

New Orleans
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New OrleansPelicans RUMORS

NEW ORLEANS

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New Orleans
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