The New Orleans Pelicans have spent months turning away calls about Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III. That hasn’t stopped nine teams from sending scouts to watch them, and the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are among them.

ClutchPoints’ Chris Dodson reported that the Lakers, Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder are among nine teams that have had scouts in arenas to evaluate Jones and Murphy. The other teams mentioned by sources or seen in an arena are the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

“Practically a third of the NBA is putting in a call,” Dodson wrote.

Jones signed a three-year, $68 million extension in July 2025, and Murphy agreed to a four-year, $112 million extension in October 2024. Together, the two deals are worth $180 million. That’s the value of their contracts, not the price of a trade, and the Pelicans’ asking price is a separate question.

The Pelicans are in no hurry to sell. Marc Stein has reported for months that the Pelicans continue to swat away trade interest in both players.

For Jones, the Pelicans are holding firm on two first-round picks, one of them unprotected, according to ClutchPoints. Their pitch is that Jones is “a bona fide winner” who “helps every contender,” with two more years of team control after this season. Murphy costs even more. Earlier reports put his asking price at around three first-round picks, high enough to discourage suitors over the summer.

Jones also made a case for himself on the court recently. After playing coming off the bench in the first four games, he recently started against the Sacramento Kings. He finished with 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, four rebounds, an assist and two steals in 32 minutes. The Pelicans outscored the Kings by 27 with him on the floor.

“Finding more time for (Jones) is going to be a key priority for me,” Jamahl Mosley told ClutchPoints.

The interest has real reasons behind it. Reports linked Jones to the Thunder because Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are out long-term, and Chet Holmgren is now out 8 to 10 weeks with a small patellar tendon tear. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst reported that some executives identified Jones and Murphy as logical targets for the Thunder.

But they also noted that New Orleans’ price is high, that Oklahoma City hasn’t shown a tendency to make that kind of big swing, and that neither contract is a great financial fit for a team already tight against the cap.

The Lakers have a clear need. Los Angeles rebuilt its roster in the offseason, moved on from LeBron James, and built around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Murphy averaged 21.5 points last season and could give Los Angeles another scorer, while Jones is one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. The problem is that the Lakers have limited trade assets to meet New Orleans’ price.

The Warriors’ situation is different. They are dealing with Kristaps Porzingis’ absence, and ESPN’s Anthony Slater has reported that Golden State is willing to let the trade market for his contract develop. Whether that contract could be part of a package for a Pelicans wing has not been reported.

The players’ early-season numbers complicate the pursuit. Jones has averaged about 20 minutes and six points per game while shooting 22% from three, and Murphy is averaging 14.2 points in 32.4 minutes. Those numbers don’t match the price the Pelicans want. One analysis argued that if Jones is still playing limited minutes in January while New Orleans drifts toward the lottery, the team’s leverage could change.

All of this leaves the race open. The Lakers need wings but lack assets, the Warriors have a different trade puzzle, and seven other teams are also in the mix. The Pelicans’ public position is that they are not selling, and no report has described a deal as close. Until that changes, the Lakers and Warriors are two of nine teams watching and waiting.