Pelicans Trade Fallout and Future Hopes | New Orleans Pelicans News

The Pelicans pulled off a messy trade to shed Jordan Hawkins’ contract, sending him and assets to Memphis for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson—though Gibson was waived fast. The move, born from last year’s costly decision to pick up Hawkins’ fourth-year deal, came at a steep price: a second-round pick, a pick swap, and promising defender Micah Peavy. Hawkins scored decently but was inefficient and a defensive liability. Now, the Pelicans are banking on Bennedict Mathurin to justify the upheaval and hoping AJ Johnson, a long-term project, finally delivers. It’s a reactive move that cost them future flexibility—but whether it pays off remains to be seen. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/917798827eafccb6