The trade deadline is now officially less than a month away and the Los Angeles Lakers once again are in need of moves to upgrade their roster. One name in particular they have been linked to is New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones, who is a tremendous perimeter defender.
Over the past few weeks, Los Angeles has been struggling to defend at a high level and are not on a string defensively like last season. Bringing in Jones would help, but the Lakers probably need multiple moves if they truly want to compete.
James’ 3-point shooting is a concern at 33.3% this year, but flashes have been shown. Unfortunately, it does not look like New Orleans is willing to deal the 27-year-old along with other top talent on their roster, via NBA insider Chris Haynes:
Sources: New Orleans Pelicans are disappointing the market in informing teams that Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears will remain with the organization past Feb. 5 trade deadline.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 9, 2026
On the bright side, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has necessary time to pivot and evaluate other options. However, as documented in previous years, Pelinka is typically not wanting to spend extreme capital to acquire role players.
One could argue Jones is in the upper echelon of role players, which is why the Pelicans would ask for multiple first-round picks. L.A. only has access to one before the deadline in 2031, but it is not as valuable as it once was due to Luka Doncic’s arrival.
Obviously, the Lakers were interested in the lengthy wing as he would be a seamless fit alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves. Who knows if New Orleans would entertain trading with Pelinka once again, but there were certainly plenty of suitors lining up for Jones. Yet, it appears the Pelicans are holding off on a fire sale at least for the time being.
Pelicans wing Herb Jones may have never been available
As much as it was wishful thinking to picture Herb Jones in a Lakers uniform, it did feel like an outside shot of landing him from the start. Despite the Pelicans’ disastrous season, they feel like there is no urgency to move off their players right away.
Previous to Chris Haynes’ reporting, there remained uncertainty on whether Jones would ever become realistically available. But, the writing was on the wall as it was previously reported back in December that New Orleans was not demonstrating a willingness to move off their starting wing.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!