What happened: The reported terms send Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a second-round swap to Memphis for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson. Peavy was the No. 40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after finishing his college career at Georgetown.
Why it matters: The deal gives New Orleans additional financial flexibility for its two-year, $16 million agreement with Bennedict Mathurin. Memphis still must reduce its roster before the 2026-27 regular season.
By the numbers: Peavy averaged 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds across 61 games in 2025-26. Hawkins averaged 5.1 points while shooting 34.8% from three, and Memphis now has 19 standard contracts against a 15-player regular-season limit.
What to watch: Memphis must remove at least four standard contracts before the regular season. New Orleans can use the resulting room to complete Mathurin's deal.