Ranking Herb Jones’ top 5 trade destinations if the Pelicans change their tune before the 2026 deadline

The New Orleans Pelicans they may be among the worst teams in the association, but their front office isn’t about to give up anyone on the cheap. In fact, they demand a king’s ransom for their main players, including but not limited to, Herb Jones. Even with Jones suffering through an injury-ravaged season that has limited his time on the field so far this season, The Pelicans are reportedly looking for at least two first-round picks in exchange for the 27-year-old winger.

If Jones were at full health and strength, jumping that kind of price tag for him would be a no-brainer. But his injury issues compound the question marks that come with acquiring him at such a high price. Regardless, for a team on the cusp of winning a title, or at least any team with aspirations of going deep into the playoffs, someone like Jones could help bolster the roster further.

With that said, here are the top five trade destinations for the Pelicans if they lower their demands for Jones.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder

Before we dive deeper, it has to be said that this piece simply focuses on which team would benefit the most from acquiring Jones. Any team would be better with Jones on the roster, but some teams reap more rewards than others.

The Thunder, on paper, don’t look like a team that needs to make any moves. They have a complete roster, especially defensively, and despite struggling in recent weeks, they still stand out as the team to beat this season.

But if there’s any team in the NBA that can match the Pelicans’ asking price for Jones without feeling too bad about it, it’s the Thunder. They still have plenty of first-round picks to spare, and Lugenz Dort’s contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Meanwhile, Jones is locked into a bargain deal for this season and next, and he will be making around $67 million from the 2027-28 season through the 2029-30 campaign. He could be a ready-made replacement, and the two are so close to each other in terms of guard level.

Alas, the Thunder don’t make sense simply because their front office doesn’t really like to rock the boat. They love their team, and no one should be surprised if they are applauded. But it will be interesting to see how much crazier their defense can get. Having Jones, Dort, Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace on the same team should be illegal.

4. Denver Nuggets

What makes the Nuggets such a non-player in the trade market is that they can’t trade any of their future first-rounders because of the tricky terms they had to include just to be able to acquire Peyton Watson, Julian Strather, Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson.

This essentially puts them out of the running for Jones, though admittedly the Nuggets would be an incredible fit for the Pelicans forward.

Denver, at full strength, is a force to be reckoned with, but they’ve rarely had all of their core players healthy at the same time this season — with Christian Brown enduring a brutal, injury-riddled 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged just 9.5 points on 46/21/75 shooting in just 14 games. (The Nuggets have already played 40 games this year.)

Brown recently signed a five-year, $125 million extensionand that deal doesn’t look too hot right now. While the Nuggets will find it impossible to trade him this season with the poison pill clause in place, the dangling Brown coming offseason in a deal that brings in Jones could be something Denver explores.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers

The The Cavs needed a designated defensive stopper on the perimeter for so long that it’s hard to believe they haven’t acquired him yet given how defensively weak their backcourt can be, especially come playoff time.

Time and time again, the partnership of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland has not been solid enough in the playoffs, and Jones, while not Messi by any means, at least gives them someone who is an elite defender, both individually and as a team. The Cavs’ options at the three were pretty weak defensively; Max Struss is injured, De’Andre Hunter is meh, and Sam Merrill, while trying, is small.

The problem is that the Cavs don’t have the funds to buy Jones, not even close. The Cavs can dangle their 2031 first-round pick, but that won’t work given the Pelicans’ steep asking price.

But in terms of team needs and team readiness, Jones comes in to provide a solution to a long-standing need for the Cavs. When the offseason comes around, the Cavs will now have two fluctuating first-round picks. But Cleveland would never trade their first-round pick for Jones, never in a million years — making this nothing more than a pipe dream.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

The The Lakers are down in recent weeks, with the absence of Austin Reeves slowing their high-octane offense. Their offense is no longer enough to pick up the cracks in their weak defense, and on the season, LA posted a top five worst defense – a stark contrast and a big drop from how they played defense the rest of last season.

The Lakers’ team defense has been brutal, and they need to acquire solid individual defenders to then strengthen the team’s defensive structure. Jones is an incredible defender on all fronts, though LA must know he alone won’t be able to solve their inability to string together consistent defensive stops.

But of course, the Lakers can’t afford to part with a multiple first-round pick, and Rob Pelinka wasn’t rash on the market anyway. They only traded a few picks when they acquired Luka Doncic, a trade they make 10 times out of 10, and with a team looking to maintain flexibility in a post-LeBron James world, they’re unlikely to go all out in the Pelicans’ pursuit of a forward — not when this move won’t get them over the hump.

However, the Lakers badly need a player like Jones. And the exceptionality of the Lakers is in their favor.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

If there’s a team that needs Jones to have the assets, both on the player side and on the draft pick front, to make a trade-off, it’s the 76ers.

They have the Los Angeles Clippers’ unprotected first-round pick in 2028 (which they might prefer to keep), and they also have trade rights in 2029 with the Clippers. They have some commitments for a 2026 (to the Thunder) and 2028 (to the Brooklyn Nets thanks to James Harden) draft picks, but other than that, the 76ers are clean.

And then there’s the conundrum that is Jared McCain, who has struggled so far in his second campaign. McCain excelled during his rookie season, but a torn meniscus derailed his stardom and prevented him from returning to the same level. He could end up being snagged in a trade, especially if Tirese Makey is the cornerstone of the 76ers franchise and VJ Edgecombe isn’t too far behind.

And with The 76ers lack size on the winghaving Jones around would help them make the postseason so much to keep them from overloading Paul George defensively. He gives Philly so much versatility in the matchup, and they at least feel a sense of urgency to make things work now that Joel Embiid is healthy.