The New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to a four-player trade involving Jordan Hawkins and AJ Johnson.
New Orleans is sending Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a future second-round pick swap to Memphis.
In return, the Pelicans will receive AJ Johnson and veteran Taj Gibson.
Hawkins Heads to Memphis
Jordan Hawkins is the headline name heading to the Grizzlies.
The 24-year-old guard was selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after helping UConn win the national championship.
Hawkins built his reputation as a dangerous perimeter shooter, but his place in New Orleans had become increasingly uncertain.
The Pelicans entered the new season with considerable competition across their backcourt and wing rotation, leaving Hawkins facing a battle for consistent minutes.
Memphis now gives him a fresh opportunity.
For the Grizzlies, the deal adds another young perimeter player who could benefit from a change of environment and a clearer role.
Peavy Also Joins Memphis
Micah Peavy will accompany Hawkins to Memphis.
The 25-year-old wing was acquired by New Orleans in 2025 after his draft rights were traded from Washington.
At 6-foot-7, Peavy gives Memphis another versatile young option on the wing.
The Grizzlies will also receive additional draft value through a future second-round pick and a future second-round pick swap.
The exact years and conditions of those future assets were not immediately specified.
Pelicans Take a Chance on AJ Johnson
New Orleans receives an intriguing young prospect in AJ Johnson.
Johnson was selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and is still only 21 years old.
His development remains very much a work in progress, but his age and potential give New Orleans another young guard to evaluate alongside its developing core.
It has already been an eventful offseason for Johnson.
He arrived in Memphis earlier this summer after previously being moved from Dallas, and he is now on the move again before the 2026-27 season has even begun.
New Orleans will hope his latest destination gives him an opportunity to establish himself.
Taj Gibson Adds Experience
Taj Gibson is at the opposite end of the career spectrum.
The veteran big man brings extensive NBA experience and gives New Orleans another experienced presence around a relatively young roster.
While Johnson represents the developmental element of the Pelicans' return, Gibson provides immediate veteran depth and leadership.
An Interesting Gamble for Both Teams
There is no established star involved in this trade, but there are several intriguing pieces.
Memphis is betting that Hawkins can benefit from a new environment while also adding Peavy and future draft capital.
New Orleans, meanwhile, moves two young perimeter players and takes a chance on the upside of Johnson.
For Hawkins in particular, the move could be significant.
Three years after being selected in the lottery, he now gets the opportunity to reset his NBA career in Memphis.