With the New Orleans Pelicans rumored to be trying to acquire a top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, fans must prepare themselves for what it will take to acquire that high of a pick. I would expect the Pelicans to part with at least star sharp-shooter Trey Murphy in any deal involving a draft pick in the lottery.
It makes sense why Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver would want to get a draft pick in this year’s draft. The 2026 NBA Draft is considered very strong, with several star prospects.
If the Pelicans were to even get into the lottery, there would still be some intriguing options. We’ve already outlined a couple of prospects in the top 10 and lottery that would be great fits for a rebuilding Pelicans team.
Trading into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is going to cost a lot
It sounds great in theory to trade back into the first round of a strong draft class. But you must also consider what it will take to acquire such a strong asset.
When looking at the personnel currently on the Pelicans roster, there really is only one player (outside Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, who appear to be untouchable) who can get Dumars and Weaver that coveted lottery position.
I don’t think any player on the roster other than Trey Murphy III will get the Pelicans into the lottery. That’s not to say guys like Herb Jones, Saddiq Bey, and even Zion Williamson don’t have trade value. But it’s going to take a lot to pry a lottery pick away from a team.
Murphy’s name has been brought up quite a bit recently in trade rumors, and he clearly is highly coveted around the league, and for good reason. Murphy is a consistent three-point shooter who can play a variety of positions on offense and defense at a high level.
Last season, Murphy averaged 21.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. And he did this while nearly achieving the prized 50–40–90 club. Murphy shot 47% from the field, 37.9% from three, and 88.6% from the free-throw line. And he did all this at the age of 25.
Murphy may very well still get better with his prime years coming up. Oh, and he is locked up to an extremely reasonable deal through the 2028-2029 season.
I would argue that the Pelicans should be getting multiple first-round draft picks in a deal for Murphy.
You may be asking yourself if Murphy is so good and still in his prime, why would Dumars and Weaver trade him? That’s a fair question. I don’t necessarily think they should trade Murphy, unless they are looking to go into a full rebuild.
The reality is that Pelicans fans may have to decide between hanging onto Murphy or acquiring a draft choice in the lottery.
