The Washington Wizards' decision to trade guard Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a four-player deal that acquired veteran sharpshooter CJ McCollum reportedly stemmed from the team's desire to improve both in the short term and the long term.

The New Orleans Pelicans are trading CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft on Thursday,

Poole also finished his season season with Washington bouncing back after averaging just 17.4 points per game in the 2023-24 season where he experienced a learning curve. His first four season were with the Golden State Warriors, with whom he won an NBA championship in the 2021-22 season.