Pelicans Send Jordan Hawkins to Grizzlies in Four-Player Trade

New Orleans traded Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy to Memphis for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson, a move that saves the Pelicans $5.7 million in salary.

The New Orleans Pelicans traded Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round draft pick, and a future second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. In exchange, New Orleans received 21-year-old guard AJ Johnson and 41-year-old veteran Taj Gibson. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the transaction saves the Pelicans $5.7 million in salary, providing the financial flexibility to sign Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year, $16 million contract.

Hawkins, the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, averaged 5.1 points across 51 games last season while playing 13.6 minutes per contest. This marked a decline from his 2024-25 production, where he averaged 10.8 points in 23.6 minutes per game. Peavy, a 6-foot-7 forward, joins Memphis after averaging 4.3 points in 61 games during his rookie campaign with New Orleans.

AJ Johnson arrives in New Orleans for his fifth team stint in three seasons. The 6-foot-5 guard, who was the No. 21 pick in the 2024 draft, split last season between the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks before being moved to Memphis in July. Gibson, a 17-year veteran, appeared in 10 games for the Grizzlies last year. Following the acquisition of draft assets and additional players, Memphis currently holds more guaranteed contracts than the 15-player maximum roster limit.