Trade Was All About Cap Space | New Orleans Pelicans News

New Orleans just pulled off a savvy, cap-driven trade with Memphis, sending Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, and future picks for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson — clearing nearly $6M in salary space to chase free agent Bennedict Mathurin. While Hawkins was a promising 2023 draft pick, his $7M contract and restricted FA status made him expendable. Meanwhile, 21-year-old AJ Johnson — traded four times already — slots into the Pelicans’ roster on a low-risk deal. Fans are buzzing, but don’t believe the Kawhi Leonard rumors — no credible insider reports yet. 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/ff9b3187953a8e8b