Pelicans trade Hawkins to Grizzlies, sources say

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The New Orleans Pelicans have traded Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round draft pick and a future second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

The trade clears roster space for the Pelicans, frees up salary flexibility to sign Bennedict Mathurin to a two-year, $16 million deal, and allows the New Orleans to have a look at a young player in the 21-year-old Johnson, who was the No. 21 pick in the 2024 draft.

Hawkins, a lottery pick at No. 14 in the 2023 draft, now gets dealt by his team prior to his fourth season.

The Grizzlies, who picked up draft assets in the deal, will have multiple roster decisions before the start of the season as they are several guaranteed contracts above the 15 minimum.

Hawkins, 24, averaged 5.1 points in 51 games last season and struggled to find consistent playing time in New Orleans' crowded backcourt rotation. The former UConn star played just 13.6 minutes per game, a significant decrease from the 2024-25 season, when he played 23.6 minutes per game and averaged 10.8 points per game.

The Pelicans will be the fifth team in three seasons for the 6-foot-5 Johnson, who split last season between the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks traded Johnson to the Grizzlies for Santi Aldama in July, five months after Johnson was included in the Anthony Davis blockbuster trade between Dallas and Washington. Johnson was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024 before being traded later that season to the Wizards.

The trade saves New Orleans $5.7 million in salary, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. Johnson was not allowed to be aggregated in a deal until Tuesday -- two months from the Aldama trade.

Gibson, 41, appeared in 10 games with Memphis last season. The 17-year veteran has played for eight different teams in his NBA career.

The 6-foot-7 Peavy appeared in 61 games as a rookie last season for the Pelicans, averaging 4.3 points.