RealGM

Hornets trade 2026 CHA 1st (top 5 protected through 2029), 2026 ORL/MEM/PHX/WAS 1st (worst of them, unp), 2027 MIA 1st (lotto prot, unp 2028), 2029 UTA/MEM/CLE (worst of them, unp)
and the following players:
Collin Sexton, Josh Green, Tre Mann, Grant Williams, Pat Connaughton, Tidjane Salaun
Hornets receive Zion Williamson, Ja Morant

--

Grizzlies trade Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell Pope, John Konchar
Grizzlies receive Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Collin Sexton (exp), Pat Connaughton (exp)

--

Pelicans trade Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones
Pelicans receive 2026 CHA 1st (top 5 protected through 2029), 2026 ORL/MEM/PHX/WAS 1st (worst of them, unp), 2027 DAL 1st (top 2 prot), 2027 MIA 1st (lotto prot, unp 2028)

--

Charlotte triples/quadruples/quintuples/sextuples down on the injury prone core adding two highly talented but troubled/rarely available players to the existing core of highly talented but troubled/rarely available players. The 5% chance of them all being together at the same is a cool thing to dream about, if nothing else. The hypothetical (or mythical) rotation would be: LaMelo/Ja/Miller/Zion/Kalkbrenner + Kon/Sion/Bridges/Diabate, and needs a backup PG somehow. On paper, wildly talented. A total mess? Probably, but a wildly talented mess.

Grizzlies move on from Ja for two very good wing players, a stopgap low- starting level replacement. Ja might have a lot more or a lot less value than this, I honestly have no clue at this point. Sexton/Herb/Murphy/JJJ/Edey + Jerome/Coward/Wells/GG/Aldama + Spencer/VW Jr/?

The Pellies get picks to fuel a rebuild, and they line themselves up for an enormous amount of 2027 cap space with all incoming players plus Poole expiring then. There are 4 picks in here, a couple of them with some pretty tasty upside. 2026 CHA 1st (top 5 protected through 2029), 2026 ORL/MEM/PHX/WAS 1st (worst of them, unp), 2027 MIA 1st (lotto prot, unp 2028), 2029 UTA/MEM/CLE (worst of them, unp)

LaMelo and Ja playing together? Yes, it is stupid.

I like both Herb and Murphy but this would leave us without a real initiator. And with the emergence of Coward we really don't need both wings here. So I would be interested in flipping Herb/contracts + draft value for a initiator. At worst I would want to flip Herb for future draft value immediately that can later be used to find the right trade and maybe kick some of value back to NOP too if he is worth more than I think.

I do wonder if NOP can do a little better piecing these guys out separately. Zion's value just too hard to peg. I think there will be a team that gives positive value for him, not a ton but some real solid value.