NBA fans had a lot to say after the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies agreed to a surprising four-player trade. The deal quickly became a big topic on social media. Fans questioned the Pelicans’ decision and also reacted to the arrival of veteran Taj Gibson.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the trade on X. He said the Pelicans would send Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick, and a future second-round pick swap to Memphis. In return, New Orleans would get AJ Johnson and Gibson. 

Hawkins joined the NBA as the No. 14 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He played three seasons with New Orleans and averaged 8.0 points and 2.3 rebounds. He also shot 34.8% from three-point range.

As per the report by NBA, the Pelicans selected Peavy with the 40th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He averaged 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds during his rookie season.

Johnson averaged 3.3 points in 48 games last season. He had not played a game for Memphis after joining the Grizzlies earlier this offseason.

Gibson, 41, averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10 games for Memphis last season.

The trade quickly caught fans’ attention online. Many fans shared their thoughts in the comments and weighed in on the Pelicans’ latest move.

Fans react to Pelicans-Grizzlies trade 

Under the same X post by NBA Insider Shams Charania, fans delivered a verdict on the new Pelicans-Grizzlies trade

One of the fans was surprised that Taj Gibson, now 41, is still playing in the NBA.

“The only thing I learned from this is that Taj Gibson is still in the league," a fan said.

Another fan was also vocal about Gibson than the trade. 

“Taj Gibson getting ready to lead the Pelicans to a title, another fan said.

One fan made a joke about Gibson’s move to New Orleans. The fan jokingly suggested that Gibson could lead the Pelicans to an NBA title.

“AJ might be the youngest journeyman ever," one fan wrote.

Johnson has already moved between teams at a young age. His latest trade gave fans another reason to joke about his fast-changing NBA career.

“New Orleans trading two young guys for two guys about to be out of the league is such a New Orleans move, another fan wrote.

This fan strongly criticized the trade. The fan questioned why the Pelicans gave up two young players for Johnson and veteran Gibson.

One of the reactions gave a more balanced view of the trade.

“This is a pretty interesting shakeup for New Orleans. AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson bring a very different mix to the roster, while Memphis gets some young pieces and future draft flexibility," a fan wrote.

The fan pointed out that both teams got something different from the deal instead of calling one team the clear winner.

The reactions show that NBA fans have different views on the Pelicans’ decision. Some fans questioned the value of trading Hawkins and Peavy, while others saw the deal as an interesting change for the roster. For now, the trade has given NBA fans plenty to talk about.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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