, Dallas Mavericks are currently the most likely next home for New Orleans Pelicans defensive star Herbert Jones. At the same time, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets have also joined the battle for Jones.

Although he played only 20 games in the 2024-25 season due to injury, Herbert Jones is still one of the forwards who has received much attention in the offseason. Well-known NBA reporter Kevin O'Connor previously broke the news that the Pelicans have re-evaluated the entire team's lineup and currently "there is no unsaleable player" in the team, which has cleared the way for Jones' potential trade and prompted many teams to act quickly.

According to the latest odds released by the bookmakers, the Mavericks ranked first with odds of +350 and are considered the team most likely to sign Jones; the Lakers followed closely with +500; the Spurs' odds were +550, the Rockets were +700, and the Nuggets were +900.

Herbert Jones is a forward with outstanding defensive ability. Since entering the league, he has been known for his comprehensive and tenacious defense. Although he missed most games this season due to injury, his high attendance rate in previous seasons still made him widely recognized by the league - he played 76, 66 and 78 games in the regular season, showing a good professional attitude and physical condition.

Data shows that Jones averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game in the 2023-24 season, with a shooting percentage of 43.6% and a three-point shooting percentage of 30.6%. He was also selected to the 2024 NBA All-Defensive Team for his outstanding defensive performance, which further enhanced the team's interest in him as a wing reinforcement.

For the Mavericks, one of the top priorities in the offseason is to strengthen the defensive stability of the front line. If Jones joins, he will surely form a three-core system with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving with more defensive intensity and lineup balance.

On the other hand, the Lakers and Spurs also hope to use Jones' defensive ability to improve the stability of the wing, especially the Spurs are building a defensive system around Wen Banyama, while the Lakers have long lacked a reliable perimeter defender.

The Pelicans are currently at a crossroads of reconstruction and adjustment. The team only won 21 regular season games in the 2024-25 season, far below expectations. Basketball operations director Joe Dumars also made it clear that the team will make major lineup adjustments, so Jones' departure is almost a foregone conclusion.