Pelicans Throw Cold Water on Ja Morant Trade Buzz. Here’s Why They Are Out.

The Ja Morant trade chatter has been loud for weeks. And for a while, New Orleans felt like a natural fit. A young, athletic guard coming off a suspension-shortened season landing in a small market that needed a star? The rumor mill practically wrote the story itself.

But according to a new report from The Stein Line, the Pelicans are not interested. Not even a little bit. The reasoning comes down to one name: Jeremiah Fears.

The Future Is Already in the Building

New Orleans drafted Fears last year with the expectation that he would be their point guard for years to come. The team has made that internal bet, and they are sticking with it. One league source put it bluntly: “They drafted Jeremiah Fears this time last year to be their point guard of the future. Thus they are not plotting any sort of run at Morant.”

It is a clear line in the sand. The franchise has dealt with enough roster chaos — injuries, lineup shuffles, and the constant uncertainty of player availability — to compound it by chasing a high-profile but injury-prone guard like Morant, no matter how electric he is when healthy. The rebuild has a blueprint, and Fears is at the center of it.

That does not mean New Orleans is standing still, though.

Trades Are Still on the Table, Just Not for Morant

The Pelicans are fielding real interest in wing players Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. Multiple teams have come calling, but the price is steep. League sources say New Orleans is asking for multiple first-round picks before they will even listen seriously on either player.

At the same time, the front office is working the phones to get into the draft. Right now, New Orleans only holds the No. 58 pick — the very last one in the second round. They are actively trying to acquire a first-round pick, ideally a lottery selection, before Wednesday night. That is a pretty strong signal that they want to add young talent, not trade it away for a veteran star.

For Morant, the search for a landing spot continues. New Orleans, apparently, was never really in the running.