The New Orleans Pelicans just got a bit more interesting. ESPN’s Shams Charania released the Pelicans news Tuesday that New Orleans is taking a risk in the trade market.
The Pelicans trade is as follows:
Washington Wizards trade: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No.40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
New Orleans Pelicans trade: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick
Jordan Poole is going to be a nice piece for the Pelicans. While his contract is a big pill to swallow, he has already proven that he can be both an offensive focal point and an impactful bench player.
The Pelicans are obviously hoping that he can be a key piece for their team moving forward. At only 26 years old, and already averaging over 20 points per game, he is a piece worth taking a risk for.
Getting Bey is also taking a chance. He is recovering from an ACL injury that had him miss all of last season.
The Western Conference is getting more and more competitive by the day. McCollum and Olynyk are significantly older than the rest of the roster, and this trade, while maybe making the Pelicans worse now, might make them better a few years down the road.
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Our Pelicans trade grade for this Jordan Poole deal is a B. Poole is a risk, and his contract will limit their future flexibility. However, his upside is much higher than McCollum's, and his age puts him on the same timeline as the rest of the Pelicans' core. So while a bit risky, we generally like this move for a young Pelicans team that needs to take some chances.
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