The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired guard Jordan Hawkins, wing Micah Peavy, a future second-round draft pick, and a future second-round pick swap from the New Orleans Pelicans in a four-player trade, according to reports by Shams Charania of ESPN. In exchange, Memphis is sending young guard AJ Johnson and veteran center Taj Gibson to New Orleans.
How the Four-Player Trade Came Together
Talks surrounding a potential move for Jordan Hawkins circulated around the league for weeks. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on July 22 that the New Orleans Pelicans were actively evaluating trade frameworks to clear roster spots and build financial flexibility. While the Memphis Grizzlies expressed early interest, no agreement was finalized at that stage. Subsequent reporting by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on July 31 indicated that AJ Johnson had entered those ongoing discussions, ultimately culminating in the four-player package finalized on Tuesday.
Salary-matching mechanics played a pivotal role in shaping the deal. According to league reports, AJ Johnson’s salary alone fell short of what the Memphis Grizzlies required to absorb Hawkins under league rules. To bridge the gap, Memphis included Taj Gibson rather than utilizing their roughly $29 million trade exception. Gibson’s tenure in Memphis proves brief, ending after just 10 appearances following his signing on February 26.
Jordan Hawkins Brings Long-Range Shooting to Memphis
Jordan Hawkins enters the Grizzlies’ rotation looking to regain the shooting stroke that made him the 14th overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, which came just three months after he helped lead UConn to a national championship. As a rookie in New Orleans, Hawkins appeared in 67 games, averaging 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 36.6% from beyond the arc. His career-best scoring night occurred on January 13, 2024, when he erupted for 34 points in a 118-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
His offensive production shifted in his second season, as his scoring average rose to 10.8 points per game while his three-point accuracy dipped to 33.1%. However, his playing time decreased last year, limited to 51 appearances with a single start. Over 13.6 minutes per contest, Hawkins averaged 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists, shooting 36.6% from the field and 34.8% from deep. He enters this season owed $7.0 million on the final guaranteed year of his rookie scale contract before becoming a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027.
Micah Peavy and AJ Johnson Change Uniforms
The Washington Wizards originally selected Peavy 40th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft before transferring his rights to New Orleans in a multi-team transaction involving CJ McCollum and Jordan Poole. Peavy immediately signed a four-year, $8.7 million contract featuring fully guaranteed money across the first two seasons, a guarantee date for the third year, and a team option for the fourth. He is set to earn over $2.1 million this season.
During his rookie campaign, Peavy played in 61 games with four starts, averaging 4.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. His standout performance came on April 7 against the Utah Jazz, where he recorded 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in a 156-137 rout. Prior to turning professional, Peavy starred at Georgetown, earning All-Big East first-team honors after averaging 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in his final college season.
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Johnson 23rd overall in the 2024 draft following a stint with the Illawarra Hawks in Australia. Milwaukee traded him to Washington in February 2025, and the Wizards subsequently shipped him to Dallas a year later. Memphis acquired Johnson this summer as part of a six-team trade that also brought D’Angelo Russell and Isaiah Stewart to the Grizzlies. Washington had already exercised Johnson’s team option for the upcoming season, leaving him owed over $3.2 million. He has appeared in 78 career games, averaging 4.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.
Taj Gibson’s Brief Memphis Stint Concludes
Taj Gibson’s departure concludes a short chapter with the Grizzlies. Memphis signed the veteran big man to a two-year contract on February 26 on the same day the franchise finalized a buyout with Kyle Anderson. Gibson made his team debut on March 13 against the Detroit Pistons, playing 12 minutes. Across 10 appearances, he averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per game. Having turned 41 in June as the 26th pick of the 2009 draft, Gibson carried a non-guaranteed salary of $3.82 million for this season, making him an ideal outgoing matching piece for the front office.
Worth a look
