Pelicans acquire AJ Johnson, his fourth trade since 2025

The 2024 No. 23 pick is still 21.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 81 min read

What happened: New Orleans sends Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy and multiple second-round assets to Memphis for Johnson and Taj Gibson. His path since February 2025 has run through Washington, Dallas and Memphis before Tuesday's move.

Why it matters: Johnson enters his third NBA season on a fifth franchise, limiting continuity as he pursues a rotation role. Memphis adds two perimeter players before training camp.

By the numbers: Johnson's four trades came over 579 days: Feb. 6, 2025; Feb. 5, 2026; July 8, 2026; and Sept. 8, 2026.

What to watch: Training camp will show whether Johnson can earn regular backcourt minutes in New Orleans.

Sources

r/nba 2026-09-08T15:43:59.783143+00:00

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