New Jersey 5s Trade for Noe Khlif in Bold MLP Midseason Shakeup

What's the Score?

The Major League Pickleball (MLP) season recently witnessed a significant player trade between the New Jersey 5s and the Miami Pickleball Club. In this strategic manoeuvre, Miami acquired Craig Johnson and cash, while New Jersey gained Noe Khlif. This pivotal move is expected to have substantial implications for both teams' trajectories as the regular season heads into its critical final stretch, particularly signalling the New Jersey 5s' intensified "win now" mentality in their pursuit of an MLP title. Concurrently, the league itself extended its trade deadline, a decision made to provide teams with additional time to strategise around recently released league operational updates.

Hit it deeper!

On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Major League Pickleball landscape underwent a notable shift with the announcement of a major player trade. The terms of the deal stipulated that the New Jersey 5s would acquire Noe Khlif, while the Miami Pickleball Club would receive Craig Johnson and cash considerations. This trade immediately led to updated rosters for both franchises. The New Jersey 5s now list their men's roster as Noe Khlif, Zane Navratil, and Will Howells, while their women's side features Anna Leigh Waters, Meghan Dizon, and Mari Humberg. The Miami Pickleball Club's updated roster now includes Craig Johnson, Jay Devilliers, and Yuta Funemizu for the men, and Milan Rane, Mya Bui, and Ava Ignatowich for the women.

Coinciding with this trade was a significant decision by the league: to push back the trade deadline from its original Wednesday 10 p.m. ET slot to Monday, July 21, at noon ET. Major League Pickleball stated that this extension was enacted to afford teams more time to strategically plan in light of recently shared league operations updates. This update notably included the announcement that the 2025 Challenger Level champion will earn direct promotion to the Premier Level for the 2026 season. Furthermore, this decision means MLP will delay its long-term plan to transition to a single, one-level structure until the 2027 season, adding additional layers of strategic consideration for teams across both competitive levels.

For the New Jersey 5s, who currently hold a solid third-place position in league standings based on points per match and in recent power rankings, this trade underscores a clear and aggressive "win now" mentality, particularly given the presence of their star player Anna Leigh Waters on the roster. Despite their strong overall season, the 5s have conspicuously struggled against the league's top two formidable teams, Dallas and St. Louis, against whom they hold a combined 0-3 record. Their recent performance in the MLP Mid-Season Tournament semifinals saw them lose to St. Louis in regulation, ultimately settling for third place in the tournament. The acquisition of Khlif appears to be a direct and calculated attempt to address specific weaknesses identified in their matchups against these top-tier opponents.

A detailed analysis of New Jersey's performance in those challenging matchups reveals some key areas for improvement:

• In women's doubles, they have a 0-3 record. However, their losses were notably close, including an 11-8 defeat and a 12-10 loss where they held multiple game points.
• In men's doubles, they hold a 1-2 record.
• Their Mixed No. 1 pairing, featuring Waters and Howells, boasts a strong 3-0 record.
• However, their Mixed No. 2 line, typically featuring Navratil with either Dizon or Humberg, shows a concerning 0-3 record.

The primary target for improvement through this trade thus appears to be the Mixed No. 2 line, where Zane Navratil had a 7-10 record with Meghan Dizon and a 0-1 record with Mari Humberg this season. In contrast, Noe Khlif, while playing for Miami, demonstrated more consistent mixed doubles performance, achieving a 14-12 record with Milan Rane and 0-1 with Mya Bui. Furthermore, Khlif generally boasts higher PPA Tour rankings across all three divisions compared to Navratil: Khlif is No. 18 in men's doubles and mixed doubles, and No. 15 in singles, while Navratil ranks No. 28, No. 21, and No. 48, respectively (though Navratil plays an irregular singles schedule). Interestingly, Navratil himself confirmed in a statement that he informed New Jersey GM Ryan Harwood of his desire to remain on the team, and Khlif will indeed move into his starting spot. This unique situation provides New Jersey with immense roster flexibility, making them arguably the only team in MLP that could reasonably start any of its six players in a given match, offering diverse strategic options. Their next competitive event is MLP Dallas, scheduled for July 25-27.

For the Miami Pickleball Club, who are currently positioned 11th in the standings (just outside the top 10 playoff spots), the trade introduces some significant unknowns. It remains unclear whether Craig Johnson or Yuta Funemizu will step into the starting lineup going forward. Funemizu has shown flashes of potential in the past two events while filling in for Devilliers, achieving a 5-4 record with Khlif in men's doubles, though a 1-8 record with Mya Bui. Johnson, on the other hand, has not yet played in a match this season. Miami has a bit of time to sort out their lineup and strategy, as their next event is not until MLP Salt Lake City, scheduled for July 31-August 3.

The World Pickleball Verdict

This strategic trade between the New Jersey 5s and the Miami Pickleball Club serves as a vivid illustration of the deepening strategic complexity and rapidly increasing professionalism within Major League Pickleball. For New Jersey, it represents a bold "win now" manoeuvre explicitly aimed at shoring up specific weaknesses and significantly enhancing their chances against the league's top-tier opponents, thereby underscoring the escalating competitive intensity of the league. For Miami, the trade signals a strategic shift with inherent unknowns, reflecting the fluidity and calculated risks teams are increasingly willing to undertake to optimise their rosters and secure a playoff berth. The league's decision to extend the trade deadline further emphasises the growing complexity and critical importance of roster management in MLP, indicating a league that is maturing and affording its teams greater strategic autonomy as they vie for championship glory. Such dynamic player movements are crucial for maintaining fan engagement and ensuring the exciting, unpredictable nature of professional pickleball.