New Orleans

Pelicans

The deal sends Poole and Saddiq Bey to the Pels in exchange for CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk in addition to pick exchanges. The move makes sense for both sides, as Poole can focus his attention on scoring while Dejounte Murray operates as the team’s primary facilitator. Poole and Bey make the Pels younger, while McCollum offers Washington an expiring deal that can be shed in 2026 when the team will likely try to make a significant move with exorbitant available cap space. Poole should feature prominently in New Orleans’ lineup, and his fantasy value could improve with less pressure on him.

As Charania notes, Washington will pick up McCollum’s expiring deal and position itself to have $100 million in cap space in the summer of 2026. The Wizards will now have veterans McCollum, Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk on the squad for next season, but it’s fair to assume Washington will focus on developing young players like Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George. Still, the Wizards aren’t exactly a deep team, so McCollum could see significant run in the nation’s capital.

The Pacers still hold the 54th pick in this draft, but they no longer have a first-round selection. However, they were able to get their own pick in 2026 back. The Pelicans now have two first-round picks, including pick No. 7. New Orleans will be able to add some young talent this summer, and there are still more moves for them to make. King was selected with the 47th pick in 2023, and after spending time in the G League, he has most recently been playing in New Zealand. This trade won’t change that, unless he ends up returning to the NBA.

While Williamson has shown flashes of the talent many expected him to be when selected first overall in the 2019 draft, there have been availability concerns. He’s surpassed 60 games twice in six seasons in New Orleans, most recently making 30 appearances in 2024-25. Add in the off-court concerns, including Williamson being named in a recent lawsuit accusing him of rape and years of abuse, and it’s fair to question his place within the Pelicans’ hierarchy. Based on his recent comments, Dumars does not appear to share those concerns. “I’ve had really good conversations with Zion,” Dumars said. “We’ve had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We’ve done it all. I’ve had some real honest conversations with him. Some real direct and honest conversations. We’re going to go forward with Zion. He’s going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward.”

Williamson’s attorneys released a statement calling the charges against him categorically false. While this case plays out in the legal system, the NBA may also choose to open its own investigation. Williamson’s future with New Orleans was a topic of discussion heading into the offseason, and it’s yet unknown how much this lawsuit may impact the front office’s decision to keep him on the roster or move him and take the franchise in a different direction.

With the Pelicans relieving lead executive David Griffin of his duties and hiring Joe Dumars as his replacement, there was a fresh set of trade rumors regarding Williamson. With the final three seasons of his current contract not guaranteed, it may be easier for New Orleans to move Zion and hit the “reset” button. However, according to Guillory, that’s unlikely to happen this summer. “There’s already been communication between Williamson, his camp and Dumars on several occasions,” Guillory wrote. “All parties feel pretty good about where things stand with the Pelicans-Williamson marriage heading into next season.” When on the court, Williamson can be a highly impactful player in fantasy leagues, especially for managers not needing three-point production. However, availability has been an issue for most of his career, which negatively impacts his ADP.

The recovery timetable for this procedure is three-to-four months, so Olynyk should be back before training camp. Olynyk was in and out of the lineup just before the end of the regular season, though that can at least partially be attributed to New Orleans looking to improve its lottery odds. Olynyk is entering the final season of a two-year deal that he initially signed with the Raptors.

Boston Jr. missed the final two months of the season and will miss at least three more after undergoing surgery. Boston Jr. played well for New Orleans in an expanded role due to injuries on the wing, and he was converted from a two-way deal to a standard contract in February. He has yet to play a game on this new deal, but based on this timeline, he should be ready well before training camp starts next season.

Two days after firing lead executive David Griffin, the Pelicans officially hired his replacement. Dumars served as Detroit’s president of basketball operations for 14 years and, most recently, was the NBA’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations. He’ll have some key questions to answer this offseason, most notably Willie Green’s future as head coach and whether or not Zion Williamson is equipped to remain a key figure in the Pelicans’ rebuild. While Zion has shown flashes of excellence, the inability to stay healthy has been an issue for New Orleans.