Pelicans Gauge Trade Market for Jordan Hawkins; Grizzlies Engaged in Talks
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The New Orleans Pelicans are weighing trade options for guard-forward Jordan Hawkins and have held discussions with multiple teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, league insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported.
Hawkins on the block
The 24-year-old was selected No. 14 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft but saw his minutes and production decline last season. After averaging 7.8 points and shooting 36.6 percent from three as a rookie, he logged just 13.6 minutes per game across 51 appearances in 2023-24, finishing at 36.6 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Financial motive
Hawkins is entering the final year of his rookie contract at roughly $7 million. Moving his salary without taking comparable money back would leave New Orleans about $8.2 million under the luxury-tax threshold and clear enough space to use the club’s full $15 million mid-level exception.
Memphis fit
Memphis, operating well below the tax line and armed with a $28.9 million trade exception, could absorb Hawkins’s contract outright. The Grizzlies have shown a willingness this offseason to accept salary when accompanied by draft considerations.
Core pieces off limits
While Hawkins is available, New Orleans continues to resist overtures for forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, both of whom remain key components of the roster.
Whether the Pelicans will attach additional assets to facilitate a Hawkins deal has not been determined.
Source: Hoops Wire
