The Washington Wizards are trading shooting guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for guard C.J. McCollum, center Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round draft pick, according to sources who spoke to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Jordan Poole famously helped the Golden State Warriors win the 2022 NBA Championship before being traded to the Washington Wizards in July 2023. Last season, he led Washington in scoring (20.5 points per game) and assists (4.5 per game). Meanwhile, Saddiq Bey missed all of the 2024-25 season while recovering from a torn ACL.

The trade swaps guards — the Wizards shifting from Poole to the veteran in McCollum, who has an expiring contract. Washington now is expected to approach $100 million in projected cap space in 2026. Pelicans move younger, possibly more dynamic with Poole and Bey. https://t.co/5MoDagRyph

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025

C.J. McCollum was the Pelicans’ fourth-best scorer last season, averaging 21.1 points per game. Kelly Olynyk averaged 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 20 starts for New Orleans.

A good deal that doesn’t fix the Pelicans

This is actually a decent move for the Pelicans. C.J. McCollum is a soon-to-be 34-year-old shooting guard who has a $30.6 million cap hit heading into next season. However, Jordan Poole is only 26 and will cost just $1.2 million more than McCollum during the 2025-26 season. It’s also a good trade because McCollum will be a free agent when next season ends, while Poole is under contract for at least the next two years.

The same can be said for Saddiq Bey and Kelly Olynyk. Bey just turned 26, while Olynyk just turned 34. Olynyk will be a free agent next off-season, while Bey is under contract for the next two seasons. Plus, Kelly Olynyk’s cap hit this coming season is almost twice as much as Saddiq Bey’s.

Jordan Poole and Zion are now teammates pic.twitter.com/Io5Q6Geu23

— Overtime (@overtime) June 24, 2025

This deal allows the Pelicans to save some cap space while getting younger without having to sacrifice performance on the basketball court… but who cares? The Pels’ biggest problem remains Zion Williamson, his inability to stay healthy, and, more importantly, the sexual assault lawsuit that has been brought up against him.

Zion Williamson is the most important member of the New Orleans Pelicans. Adding Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey is nice and all. But if Zion can’t stay on the basketball court, then these acquisitions are meaningless.

If this were any other team in the NBA, it would be a needle-moving trade that helps them get a step closer to title contention. But in New Orleans, it’s just another deal that allows them to compete for a play-in spot.

The Wizards get older and less expensive

I have a strong feeling that Washington will not be re-signing McCollum or Olynyk in 2026. After all, they carry a combined cap hit of $44 million heading into next season. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved on from one or both of these guys before the 2025-26 season begins.

The age disparity of the Wizards’ roster is incredibly interesting. Their starting point guard, shooting guard, and small forward have an average age of 32.3, while their power forward and center are both 20 years old. Their rotational players’ ages range from 19 (Bub Carrington) and 20 (AJ Johnson) to 32 (Malcolm Brogdon).

The young guys will be around for a while. However, older players like Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Marcus Smart will likely be off the team either next season or the season after that. As a result, the Wizards could have almost $100 million in cap space next off-season. That means they could make a push for any number of high-profile free agents like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Deandre Ayton, De’Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine, or Jaren Jackson Jr.

Are the Pelicans and Wizards done making moves after the Poole-McCollum trade? pic.twitter.com/R9qXjNSOvm

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 24, 2025

I expect the Wizards to once again be a bottom-feeder team during the 2025-26 season, meaning they’ll be in play for the number-one overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If they can win the NBA Draft Lottery again and have $100 million to spend on free agents, then they could make a play for almost any player in the league. Luka Doncic will have a hard time turning down a $60 million/year contract and playing with two number-one overall draft picks.

The Wizards did not improve with the trade they made. But they are continuing to prepare for the 2026 off-season, where they will almost certainly be in play for Luka Doncic and every other free agent with that much money available to spend.