The New Orleans Pelicans have no desire to trade Herb Jones, per The Athletic’s Dan Woike, spelling bad news for a Los Angeles Lakers franchise that was expected to pursue the veteran 3-and-D wing ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
The report highlighted that the player “most often linked” to the Lakers by scouts around the league is Jones, mainly because of their need for stout wing defenders.
“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 reported on Dec. 11, a day after the Lakers defense was severely exposed in a 132-119 NBA Cup loss to the Spurs.
“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.”
Pelicans Have No Incentive to Tank
As Woike noted, the Lakers have only one tradeable first-round pick (2031 or 2032) besides a host of expiring contracts — Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent. However, the pick is not very valued around the league, and the Pelicans are not keen on moving Jones for it either, per Woike.
“Maybe the view of the Lakers’ assets or the Pelicans’ view of Jones will change between now and the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, but as of now, sources point out, New Orleans would need a whole lot to be convinced otherwise,” added the insider.
The Pelicans, who don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, have minimal incentive to tank the season despite owning the worst record in the league, 3-22. However, some insiders have floated the idea of the Pelicans moving Jones, Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy to possibly acquire some draft assets, perhaps even a 2026 pick. Since the Lakers can’t move their 2026 pick, the Pelicans may have no interest in doing business.
Other Lakers Trade Targets
Besides Jones, Andrew Wiggins and Keon Ellis are some of the 3-and-D players linked with a Lakers team that ranks 21st in defensive efficiency.
Ellis, an unrestricted free agent in 2026, was previously viewed as a key core member of the Sacramento Kings‘ future. However, the Kings didn’t sign him to an extension this past offseason, making his future uncertain. Even then, Sacramento is unlikely to move him to the Lakers for a bargain, according to The Athletic report.
“Even someone like Keon Ellis, who has an uneven role with the struggling Sacramento Kings, is valued enough that he won’t come cheaply,” wrote Woike.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick on Wednesday acknowledged that his team needed to take a drastic step defensively to compete for a championship.
“Very few teams don’t have something that you can expose,” Redick said. “And we typically, consistently, got exposed (for) the same things.”
“I think being able to contain the basketball is probably the most difficult thing for our team right now,” he added.
The Lakers gave up 132 points to a Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs. They gave up over 130 points to lottery-bound teams like the Pelicans and Clippers last week, and 140 points to the Utah Jazz last month.
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