The New Orleans Pelicans are having one of the worst seasons in the NBA.

They could also be crucial to how the rest of the year plays out in the Western Conference.

That’s because the Pels have two trade chips that are sought after by a lot of the league: Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones.

The latest reporting from The Athletic’s Sam Amick indicates that the Golden State Warriors are especially intrigued by Murphy, and that the Los Angeles Lakers really want Jones.

“For quite some time now, the Warriors have been open about their desire to acquire the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III,” Amick writes. “But if they’re going to use Kuminga to do that, then it would be helpful to know how, if at all, the Pelicans value the Warriors’ 23-year-old forward. For the time being, the feedback is mixed on that front. ’Tis the season for smokescreens, after all.”

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Murphy could be a part of the Pelicans’ core alongside Derik Queen, if they want to go that route. It remains to be seen what they’ll do with him.

Jones would cost a bit less in a trade, at least in concept.

“Our Lakers’ beat writer, Dan Woike, highlighted their interest in Jones this week,” Amick writes. “At the same time, he cited team and league sources who said the Pelicans are ‘not interested’ in moving Jones. Fair enough, but let’s circle back for a vibe check in late January.”

New Orleans is already struggling. If the struggles only get worse, the Pelicans will have little choice but to consider trades to try to prop up their future, since their present doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

The Warriors and Lakers will be circling for that moment of opportunity to come.

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