Two and a half years ago, the Warriors cut ties with Jordan Poole and sent him to the Washington Wizards, where he spent two seasons before going to New Orleans over the summer as part of the CJ McCollum deal. Now, with the Feb. 5 deadline approaching, the 26-year-old could be on the move again. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line listed the guard as a player that the Pelicans are "willing to discuss" (subscription required) over the next two weeks.
Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are the two most sought-after players on New Orleans' roster. However, the Pelicans reportedly don't want to discuss deals for either player. The same goes for Zion Williamson (for whatever reason).
As for Poole, who is in his third year of the four-year extension he signed with the Warriors, he could be on the move. He averaged a career-high 20.5 points last season in 29.4 minutes across 68 games (all starts), but, yes, it was on a Wizards team that won 18 games. This season, he's averaging 14.8 points (his lowest since his second season in the Bay) on 37.3% shooting from the field and 33.8% from three in 25.9 minutes per contest across 27 games (six starts).
He's making $31.8 million this season and will make $34 million next season, a contract that teams understandably aren't lining up to trade for.
Pelicans have made Jordan Poole available before the deadline
New Orleans fans were actually a little excited about the Poole acquisition over the summer, but the Pelicans' bad luck continued, as he missed a few weeks with a quad injury. He hasn't helped them be competitive, which, clearly, the front office thought the team would be after sending a 2026 unprotected first-round pick to Atlanta on draft night. You can't blame Poole for that, though.
His inconsistencies are a problem, as Wizards fans know. He shot 4-of-17 from the field and 0-of-7 from three in the Pelicans' loss on Wednesday to the Pistons. His most efficient game this month was a 21-point performance in a loss to the Magic when he shot 7-of-11 from the field and 6-of-8 from three. It was the second time the guard scored 21 points in 2026. He's also had two scoreless outings this month, so there's that.
New Orleans may be listening to offers for Poole, but that doesn't mean a deal will materialize, not unless Ja Morant forces his way out of Memphis and the Pelicans want him. They'd be better off focusing on their youth, building around Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Let's see what they can turn Poole into, if they are successful at moving on from him.