Pelicans exploring Jordan Hawkins trades, Grizzlies among teams in talks

The Pelicans appear willing to move on from Jordan Hawkins.

New Orleans has been discussing potential trades involving the 24-year-old swingman, with the Grizzlies among the teams involved in those conversations, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

That doesn’t mean the Pelicans are throwing open the doors to everyone.

Stein and Fischer report that New Orleans remains resistant to moving forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones, both of whom continue to draw considerable interest around the league. Hawkins, though, is another story.

The No. 14 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has seen his role and production decline since a promising rookie season. Hawkins averaged 7.8 points and shot 36.6 percent on 3-pointers as a rookie, but his playing time dipped to a career-low 13.6 minutes in 51 appearances last season.

He shot 36.6 percent overall and 34.8 percent from three. According to Stein and Fischer, the Pelicans’ motivation in exploring Hawkins deals is to create additional roster and financial flexibility.

Hawkins is entering the final year of his contract at roughly $7 million. New Orleans currently has 14 players on standard deals and sits about $8.2 million below the luxury-tax line.

Moving Hawkins without taking comparable salary back could give the Pelicans enough room to use their full $15 million mid-level exception without crossing into the tax. It also could provide additional flexibility for another trade down the road.

That’s where Memphis could come in. The Grizzlies have their own roster crunch to address, but they have plenty of room below the tax and a $28.9 million trade exception capable of absorbing Hawkins’ contract. Memphis has also demonstrated a willingness this offseason to take on salary when draft compensation makes it worthwhile.

Whether the Pelicans would be willing to attach an asset to Hawkins remains to be seen. But unlike Murphy and Jones, it certainly sounds as if Hawkins can be had.

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