The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most coveted players in the league in defensive stalwart Herbert Jones.
Jones is a perfect complementary piece to an NBA lineup. He doesn't need to be the focus of the offense and gives his all on the defensive side of the ball. He has also grown into a fantastic leader.
With the Pelicans switching out front office regimes, coming off of a 21-win season and generally considered to be one of the bottom teams, many would expect to see them commit to a rebuild and trade off pieces like Jones.
Simply put, it will not happen. The same goes for Trey Murphy III, but that has already been covered.
The expectation in the New Orleans building is to put forth a competitive team this year and win some games. That won't happen without Jones.
The 27-year-old played just 20 games last season and his loss was felt. The Pelicans' defense fell completely off a cliff without him on the floor.
Murphy, Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson are all offensive-first players. Jones' defensive efforts are necessary to balance out the starting lineup.
Also, the former Alabama Crimson Tide star inked a three-year, $68 million extension back in July. He's not going anywhere, any time soon. He's not even eligible to be traded until January 14, 2026.
It simply would not make any sense for them to move on from Jones. Especially in most of the deals that get proposed revolving around him.
Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey recently released an article outlining a trade idea for each team in the NBA.
For New Orleans, their deal would see them ship Jones, Jeremiah Fears, Micah Peavy and a 2031 first-round pick for Derrick White. There are a number of reasons that this deal would be a nightmare for the Pelicans.
White is a good defender in his own right, but would be a downgrade in terms of versatility. This would also be adding him to a group of shooters that includes Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole, creating more competition for shots.
Ideally, for New Orleans, Fears will grow into that next star guard in time. His floor is significantly lower than what White would offer this season, but his ceiling is also much higher.
Also, trading yet another future first-round pick would be a poor idea for a team with a future as uncertain as the Pelicans'.
Jones isn't being traded this season, so stop including him in trade proposals. Or, at least make them make any sort of sense for New Orleans.