NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans are preparing for a seismic summer. According to a new report from NBA insider Jake L. Fischer, the Pelicans have officially emerged as a team deeply interested in acquiring Boston Celtics superstar and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.
Coming off a season of mixed results, New Orleans’ front office appears ready to reshuffle the deck in pursuit of a legitimate championship anchor. According to team sources, the organization is adopting an incredibly aggressive stance: everything is on the table, with exactly two exceptions.
The Untouchables: Fears and Queen
While the Pelicans are reportedly open to moving established veterans, their future core remains protected. Sources state that the only two players completely off limits in trade talks are standout freshmen Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.
Both Fears and Queen are fresh off campaigns that landed them on the Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Their rapid development has given the front office enough confidence to view them as long-term franchise pillars, making them the singular bright spot insulated from the impending trade winds.
The Zion Williamson Conundrum
Naturally, any blockbuster discussion involving New Orleans begins and ends with the status of franchise cornerstone Zion Williamson.
When pressed on Williamson’s availability, a team source revealed a telling shift in the organization’s mindset:
“The Pelicans prefer to keep Zion, but they aren’t married to him if they can offload him.”
While New Orleans still values Williamson’s generational ceiling, they are no longer viewed as completely inseparable from the former number-one pick. If a massive overhaul is required—or if a deal for a player of Jaylen Brown’s caliber necessitates a pivot—the Pelicans are willing to listen to packages that would completely redirect the franchise identity.
The Anatomy of a Jaylen Brown Offer
Acquiring an All-NBA force like Jaylen Brown requires a massive financial and talent match, meaning the Pelicans would have to part with some of their most valuable assets. Sources close to the situation indicate that if New Orleans aggressively pursues the Celtics star, the blueprint for their blockbuster trade offer would center directly around Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, and significant draft capital.
The structure of the deal would fundamentally change the identity of both teams. In this potential blockbuster scenario, New Orleans would send the core package of Murray, Murphy, and their premium draft picks over to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Brown.
Moving Murray and Murphy would give Boston an elite, defensive-minded playmaker and a tier-one floor spacer to restock their rotation after parting with one of their franchise anchors. Meanwhile, the blockbuster exchange would allow New Orleans to construct a formidable, championship-level perimeter attack entirely around Brown’s dynamic scoring and postseason experience.
Clearing the Books: The Expiring Contracts
Beyond a centerpiece deal for Brown, the Pelicans are also looking to execute secondary trades to flush out their roster and build maximum financial flexibility.
Sources note that the front office is actively trying to utilize Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins, and Kevon Looney as expiring salary matching chips in upcoming negotiations. Poole, Hawkins, and Looney have all dropped out of the team’s primary rotation and are viewed as essential tools to balance out the money in multi-team blockbusters.
With the draft and free agency looming, Pelicans are clearly aiming for the fences. Whether it results in Jaylen Brown wearing a Pelicans uniform or a complete baseline remodel around Fears and Queen, New Orleans promises to be the epicenter of NBA trade talk this offseason.
