The Pelicans may have just gotten a clearer path to Michael Porter Jr., and it starts with how the Brooklyn Nets apparently see him.
On a recent episode of the Third Apron Podcast, Erik Slater - the host of Locked On Nets and a Nets reporter for ClutchPoints - said Brooklyn views Porter Jr. more as a “trade asset” than a “long-term piece.” Slater added that Porter Jr.’s time with the black and white could end soon.
That matters in New Orleans because Porter Jr. has already been floating around as a possible fit for the Pelicans. I had written last week that the hype around him as a trade target needed to cool off, mostly because Brooklyn is trying to compete for a playoff spot next season and a deal before the start of the year felt unlikely.
That still looks like the less likely path. A trade-deadline swing remains the most realistic route if the Pelicans ever land him. But the window for something to happen before the 2026-27 season now looks a lot wider than it did before Slater’s comments.
And from a basketball standpoint, it’s easy to see why Porter Jr. keeps coming up in New Orleans conversations.
He gives you size at 6-foot-10, elite three-point volume, and real work on the glass. Porter Jr. averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.3 percent from three on over nine attempts per game. For a Pelicans team that finished in the bottom five in threes made and had issues finishing possessions with defensive rebounds, that kind of production would be a real jolt.
The catch is on the other end. The Pelicans are trying to build a defensive-first identity under Jamahl Mosley, and Porter Jr. doesn’t exactly erase those concerns.
Mosley has gotten productive play from bigger wings with defensive limitations before, including Porter Jr., but New Orleans already has a lot of players he’ll need to squeeze every bit of defense out of. Bringing in another clear defensive liability before the season might complicate that job.
There’s also the timing issue. Mosley has spent the summer trying to build culture and establish connections with his new group. Dropping a major addition into the locker room now could disrupt that process.
So yes, if the price is right, Joe Dumars should absolutely consider it. But for now, the smartest play still looks like patience. If Porter Jr. is going to end up in New Orleans, the trade deadline still feels like the cleanest opening, especially with so many questions still hanging over the 2026-27 Pelicans.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Still Have One Big James Harden Problem To Solve
The NBAs latest salary-cap ruling has sent ripples well beyond Los Angeles, with the league wrapping up its investigation into the Clippers handling of Kawhi Leonards endorsement deals and handing down penalties that stop short of derailing the deal entirely. Leonard was fined $700,000 but not suspended, which keeps the trade to the Raptors on track and leaves the Clippers positioned to bring back Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, multiple draft picks and a pick swap as part of the larger fallout.
For the Pelicans, the bigger concern is how the leagues lingering roster and cap mechanics can shape the rest of the market. New Orleans is among the teams still managing pending free agent signings alongside the Cavaliers and Nuggets, and those decisions are all tied to the same reality: salary-cap pressure can slow everything down, and one move elsewhere can affect when a contract gets finalized, what room a team has left and how flexible it stays if the market keeps shifting. [Read more 🡒]