The New Orleans Pelicans have made it clear to opposing front offices that they are not open to moving any of their core pieces ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, firmly shutting down conversations involving Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, Derik Queen, or Jeremiah Fears.
According to Chris Haynes, regardless of outside interest or speculation, those five players are not part of any deadline discussions.
That stance comes amid outside chatter suggesting New Orleans might consider reshaping its roster, particularly if it wanted to pivot more heavily toward a youth-focused timeline built around Queen and Fears.
However, the Pelicans have signaled that such a teardown is not on the table during the season, even with questions lingering about the team’s long-term ceiling.
One major factor influencing that approach is draft control. New Orleans does not possess its own 2026 first-round pick, removing much of the incentive to intentionally slide backward in the standings.
Without the benefit of their own high draft selection, the Pelicans see little value in an in-season reset that prioritizes losses over continuity.
Contractual security also plays a role. Jones recently signed an extension and is under team control well into the future, with no path to free agency until at least 2029.
Murphy is in the first year of his own extension and remains under contract through the 2028–29 season, while Williamson is locked in through 2027–28.
Pelicans Won’t Entertain Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones Trades https://t.co/2rReJpySQW
— RealGM (@RealGM) January 9, 2026
