NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade veteran guard CJ McCollum, center Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for guard Jordan Poole, wing Saddiq Bey and the 40th overall pick in Thursday’s second round of the NBA Draft, a person with knowledge of the agreement said.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been announced.
McCollum, a 12-year veteran who has averaged 19.6 points per game throughout his career, now joins his third team since 2022 after spending the bulk of his career with Portland.
Poole, a six-year veteran who has averaged 16.8 points per game, also joins his third franchise after spending his first four seasons with Golden State and the past two with the Wizards.
The Wizards — who are clearly maximizing the youth movement now — will gain a ton of financial freedom in the deal, which they can use going forward to continue their rebuild. They easily could have around $100 million in cap space for the summer of 2026, largely by clearing $57 million in expiring contracts for McCollum and Olynyk this coming season.