The New Orleans Pelicans are actively pursuing a trade into the top 10 of the 2026 NBA Draft, set for June 23-24 at Barclays Center. The team has identified a specific target in that range and is exploring packages to move up despite no longer controlling its own first-rounder.

Trey Murphy III carries three years and $87 million remaining while averaging 21.4 points across the prior two seasons on 38.2 percent three-point shooting. Herb Jones holds four years and $82.49 million through a player option in 2029-30 and ranks among the league's premier wing defenders. Yves Missi, a former first-round pick, attracted interest from the Pacers, Hawks, Celtics, Knicks, Bulls, Lakers and Raptors at the deadline, with New Orleans demanding at least a first-round pick in return.

Pairing another young big with Derik Queen creates immediate spacing and development challenges on a roster already thin on frontcourt minutes. Queen posted 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game as a rookie on 47.3 percent field-goal shooting, yet the Pelicans finished 26-56 and 11th in the West. Adding a high-lottery prospect risks further crowding the rotation without clear paths to meaningful playing time.

Last summer's move from No. 23 plus the 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta for No. 13 and Queen drew heavy scrutiny once the Hawks landed the No. 8 selection. The front office has shown willingness to part with future assets to accelerate the timeline, even as the team sits without its own 2026 pick and must rely on Murphy, Jones or Missi to generate movement.

With the draft two weeks away, New Orleans must decide whether to attach multiple future firsts, one of its established wings or a combination to secure the desired prospect. Any deal would reshape both the immediate rotation and the long-term asset picture heading into free agency.

The pattern of aggressive draft-night maneuvering suggests the Pelicans view this summer as a reset point rather than another incremental step in a stalled rebuild.