Lakers Eye Herb Jones Trade, Pelicans Stand Firm

Rival teams expect the Lakers to target Pelicans wing Herb Jones as a defensive upgrade before the February trade deadline. The Athletic's Dan Woike named Jones "the player most often linked to the Lakers," but Woike added the Pelicans are "not interested in moving Jones." Jones signed a three year $68 million extension and is not trade eligible until Jan. 14 under the six month rule. Merlin sees the roadblocks clearly. Los Angeles has limited draft capital and mostly expiring contracts to offer, so matching New Orleans on a player fresh off an extension would be costly. The Pelicans are 3 and 22, which fuels chatter, yet the extension and rival interest make a deal unlikely unless the price rises. Expect quiet calls and testing the market before any serious offer appears.