The New Orleans Pelicans have already made one notable move this weekend by extending Saddiq Bey, and that decision sharpens the spotlight on what comes next. With Bey staying in place, the more logical path may be to clear the way by moving Jordan Poole.
That idea fits the direction new head coach Jamahl Mosley is trying to set. Poole has talent, but he doesn’t appear to match the identity New Orleans wants to build. After the offseason trade that brought both Poole and Bey over in the deal for CJ McCollum, the Pelicans took a swing on Poole as a possible offensive jolt and a temporary lead-guard answer while Dejounte Murray worked back from injury.
The appeal was easy to understand. Poole was coming off a strong statistical season with the Washington Wizards, where he posted career highs in points at 20.5, assists at 4.5, steals at 1.3 and three-point shooting at 37.8% on a team that won just 18 games. New Orleans hoped that production could carry over alongside players like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III.
Instead, the fit never came together. Poole struggled to settle into the offense, shot 37.2% from the field, and dealt with the kind of inconsistency that defined much of his season. Poor decision-making and defensive issues followed, and the Pelicans eventually benched him before he logged nine straight DNP-Coach's Decision.
His contract only adds to the pressure. Poole is on an expiring $34 million deal, and with Murray set to resume the lead-guard role after returning from a torn Achilles injury, the path for Poole only gets narrower. Murray played 14 games late in the year and averaged 16.7 points, 6.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds.
Jeremiah Fears also factors into the equation. The rookie needs development time, and that makes Poole even easier to squeeze out of the rotation. New Orleans already has enough questions on the wing and in the backcourt without carrying a guard who is a below-average defender on a team that needs perimeter pressure.
That’s the heart of the issue for Mosley and his staff. The Pelicans are short on size, so they need guards and wings who can help set the tone defensively. Poole hasn’t shown that he can be that player, and keeping him around on an expiring contract seems hard to justify.
If New Orleans is going to get value back, the timing matters. Waiting too long could mean another injury concern or more damage to whatever trade appeal Poole still has if his play doesn’t improve. After a season that went sideways, the Pelicans may be better off acting now and moving on from the Jordan Poole experiment before it drags any further.
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