The Los Angeles Lakers have a long-established interest in trading for New Orleans Pelicans wing Herbert Jones. Los Angeles reportedly discussed a trade for Jones during the 2025-26 season, but New Orleans' asking price was too high for the purple and gold to agree to.
In the afremath of the Pelicans signing Saddiq Bey to a three-year, $55.5 million contract extension, however, a trade for Jones may be a more viable option than ever before.
As it stands, the Pelicans will be paying three wings at least $17.1 million in 2027-28: Bey, Jones, and Trey Murphy III. New Orleans could also be tasked with re-signing Bennedict Mathurin, whom it signed to a two-year deal with a second-season player option earlier this summer.
There's certainly a world in which the Pelicans opt to proceed with as many as four wings making eight-figures per season, but it's difficult to imagine them staying the course if they struggle as a team.
Injuries have certainly played a factor, but New Orleans has gone 21-61 and 26-56 over the past two seasons. Perhaps a deep perimeter and a healthy Zion Williamson will prove to be the trick, but if not, then the four years and $82,479,678 remaining on Jones' contract could make him a candidate to be moved.
In that scenario, the Lakers may just find a realistic path to acquiring the lockdown defensive wing they've been searching for.
Pelicans have a long list of wings making big money—so what happens if they miss the playoffs again?
The Lakers' interest in Jones centers around his status as one of the best defensive wings in the NBA. The 27-year-old earned All-Defensive First Team recognition in 2023-24 and has overcome an injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign to return to an elite level of defensive play.
This past season, Jones ranked in the 97th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 94th percentile in passing lane defense, the 91st percentile in ball screen navigation, and the 70th percentile in off-ball chaser defense, per Basketball Index.
Standing at 6'7" with a 7'0.25" wingspan, Jones' size, length, quickness, and anticipation make him a matchup nightmare for players at multiple positions. This past season, he ranked in the 84th percentile in defensive positional versatility and even spent 24.84 percent of his possessions on power forwards and centers.
With a trio of Quentin Grimes, Jones, and Walker Kessler in the starting lineup, the Lakers would have great-to-elite defenders at three different positions to support Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Can Herbert Jones rediscover offensive efficiency?
The question mark that may deter the Lakers from trading for Jones is that the efficiency he won skeptics over with in 2023-24 has disappeared. During that reputation-defining season, he averaged 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.5 three-point field goals made per game on .498/.418/.867 shooting.
Though it was his first season since suffering a torn labrum in 2024-25, Jones' shooting numbers plummeted to .383/.309/.806 in 2025-26.
The question of the hour is how much of an impact the shoulder surgery had on his shooting form and what it will mean for his future in the NBA. In the event that he can return to efficiency on offense, however, his defense is still certifiably elite and he's just now entering his athletic prime.
If Jones plays well and the Pelicans struggle to match his quality as a team, then the Lakers should have a far more realistic path to finally acquiring him during or after the 2026-27 season.
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