A pair of Pelicans have positioned themselves for plenty of interest on the trade market around the NBA.
New Orleans Pelicans starters Herb Jones and CJ McCollum have both garnered interest from different organizations in the trade market around the NBA, ESPN league insider Shams Charania reported.
"Teams have already started expressing interest in the Pelicans' supporting cast players, such as Jones and McCollum," Charania reported.
The team also may still look to move past the star wing Brandon Ingram era as well.
"Because of their financial situation, the Pelicans are unlikely to reach Ingram's current salary annually on an extension, making the trade route much more likely than a long-term deal, league sources said," Charania reported. "New Orleans values Ingram highly, though, and is expected to keep the extension door open with him, those sources said."
The Pelicans are currently 5-20 after coming into the season with promising expectations. The addition of Dejounte Murray, a 2022 All-Star, improved the point guard situation on paper, but the All-Star trio of Ingram-Zion Williamson-Murray have played a total of zero games together, including the preseason. To say New Orleans has been bitten with the injury bug this season is basketball's understatement of 2024, and the on-court results have been a direct reflection of that. Now, the occasional trade talks surrounding the team have returned and maybe this is the season that ends the All-Star pairing of Williamson and Ingram in New Orleans.