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The New Orleans Pelicans have reached an agreement to send experienced guard CJ McCollum, center Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards. In exchange, they will acquire guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the 40th overall pick in the second round of Thursday’s NBA Draft, which was used to select Georgetown’s Micah Peavy, according to various sources.
This trade, which also sees Cam Whitmore joining the Wizards and Mojave King heading to the Houston Rockets, was officially announced on July 6.
**Pelicans receive:**
– Jordan Poole
– Saddiq Bey
– 40th overall pick (Micah Peavy)
**Wizards receive:**
– CJ McCollum
– Kelly Olynyk
– Future second-round pick
**Rockets receive:**
– Mojave King
McCollum, a seasoned player with 12 years of experience and a career average of 19.6 points per game, is set to join his third team since 2022 after a long tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Poole, who has played for six years and averages 16.8 points per game, is also making the move to his third organization, having spent his initial four years with the Golden State Warriors before two seasons with the Wizards.
The Wizards, looking to enhance their young talent, will benefit from financial flexibility due to this deal, enabling them to bolster their rebuilding efforts. They could potentially have around $100 million in salary cap space for the 2026 summer, primarily by offloading $57 million in expiring contracts belonging to McCollum and Olynyk this coming season.
With two first-round picks—No. 6 and No. 18—the Wizards are likely to target guards in the upcoming draft as they continue the youth-focused strategy initiated with the trade of Bradley Beal.
The Pelicans are entering a transformative period under Joe Dumars, a former NBA champion as both a player and general manager with Detroit, who was appointed in April to succeed David Griffin as executive vice president of basketball operations.
Last week, Dumars also acquired a second first-round draft choice—23rd overall—through a deal that sent a future first-round pick to Indiana, complementing the team’s seventh overall pick.
Olynyk, hailing from Canada, spent less than a full season in New Orleans after being traded from Toronto as part of the move that sent high-scoring forward Brandon Ingram to the Raptors. Throughout his career, the 12-year veteran has averaged 10.2 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Bey, selected 19th overall out of Villanova in 2020, has put up an average of 14.1 points per game during his time with Detroit and Atlanta. He spent the last season with Washington but did not take the court as he recuperated from knee reconstruction surgery.
In the immediate future, this trade could also enhance the Wizards’ competitiveness, as they ranked near the bottom in three-point shooting last season. McCollum and Olynyk are both expected to improve that area. McCollum is known for his leadership in the locker room, serving as a union president, and remains a highly effective player. Remarkably, he is one of only three players to have averaged at least 20 points per game over the last decade, alongside LeBron James and DeMar DeRozan.
