An NBA roster can get crowded. Sometimes, there’s no room for a good player. Teams may surprise fans by looking to move players they’d assumed would be around for the long haul.
With that in mind, there have been some surprising rumors about the New Orleans Pelicans recently. It’s been rumored that they’re considering trading Herbert Jones. Jones is one of the best defensive wings in the NBA, and he’s young. How could this be?
Well, the roster is crowded. The Pelicans seem to lean on Trey Murphy III as the superior shooter. Brandon Ingram is a wing, and Dyson Daniels needs time at the 3. Jones may be the odd man out.
Could the Pelicans send him to the Oklahoma City Thunder?
NBA Trade Proposal: Oklahoma City Thunder Land New Orleans Pelicans’ Herb Jones
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G Vasilije Micic, F/C Aleksej Pokusevski, 2025 First-Round Pick (Top 14 Protected – MIA via OKC)
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: G/F Herb Jones
At some point, the Thunder may face a similar roster crunch. This team has a tremendous amount of young talent. Moreover, they have more young talent incoming. The Thunder have a lot of first-round picks in the future.
They have the most draft capital that a team has ever assembled. The Thunder’s bid to control the NBA draft has been impressive. General manager Sam Presti prioritized landing first-round picks for years. Now, he’s beginning the process of shaping this roster.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Realistically, it’s time to consolidate. The Thunder are title contenders. Banking on young, unproven talent like Pokusevki to develop isn’t prudent for this team anymore.
Should the Thunder move him for Jones?
Why The Oklahoma City Thunder Do The Deal
Let’s look at what the Thunder have. They’ve got an elite first option in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder have an alpha scorer alongside him in Jalen Williams. They also have their defensive anchor of the future in Chet Holmgren. What are the Thunder missing?
Defensive wings. Kendrich Williams is solid, but he’s regularly hurt. Luguentz Dort is nice, but he’s undersized. This Thunder squad could use a wing with some size who they can rely on to defend on a routine basis.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Jones is precisely that player. He’s in his third year in the NBA, and he’s already one of the best wing defenders in the league. This could be the final piece of the Thunder’s championship puzzle.
Should the Pelicans part with him?
Why The New Orleans Pelicans Do The Deal
Frankly, these rumors are surprising. Still, it is fair to say that the Thunder have a surplus of wing depth. In time, they’ll likely need to move someone to navigate their salary cap.
Murphy III is a cornerstone. So, Jones may be the odd man out. If so, this is a fair return for him. It’s worth noting that the Pelicans need a point guard. Micic is unproven, but New Orleans would do well to give him an opportunity and see if he’s the man who can orchestrate their offense.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
Otherwise, taking a flyer on Pokusevki is sensible. He should be easy to retain this summer if the Pelicans choose to do so. Still, the main purpose here is to flip Jones for a first-round pick that’s most likely to convey. That’s worth the cost of losing Jones – after all, this roster may be too crowded for him anyway.
