The New Orleans Pelicans have already come out and stated that they don't want to trade some of their players, but reports are now indicating that if they were to do so with Herb Jones, the price would be something that most teams don't want to pay.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the Pelicans are setting an extremely high bar in any potential Jones negotiations, one that directly impacts teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been linked to the elite defender.
Woike reported that New Orleans is seeking a massive return, one comparable to the blockbuster package that sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic.
“And whether it’s posturing or genuine, the Pelicans have shown no interest in trading Jones for anything less than a Desmond Bane-level haul,” he wrote.
“I tend to think this isn’t posturing — New Orleans’ new front office signed Jones to his extension — and why would they want to limit any trade pool to a group of buyers handcuffed by aprons and draft pick limitations?”
The Pelicans extending him under a new front office definitely plays a factor here, as the new people in charge obviously have a lot of respect and love for his game.
From the Lakers’ perspective, that asking price isJust far too much to even consider. Not that Jones is a bad player by any means, as he's truly one of the better defenders in the league, there's no way he's worth four first-round picks.
If the Pelicans are truthfully going into the trade deadline asking for all of that, they're not serious about moving him.
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