New Orleans Pelicans Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Injuries, Peavy, McGowens, Borrego

November 30th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Seven Pelicans — including their five highest-paid players — are out for Sunday’s game at the Lakers, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter links).

In addition to Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture), Jordan Poole (left quad strain), Karlo Matkovic (right calf strain) and Herbert Jones, who have all missed multiple games with their respective injuries, Jordan Hawkins will be unavailable for his second straight contest due to an illness, as will Trey Murphy III, who is battling right elbow soreness.

The seventh Pelican out tonight is star forward Zion Williamson, who is missing the second game of a back-to-back after the Pelicans lost at Golden State on Saturday. Williamson’s designation is left hamstring injury management — he missed eight games earlier this month with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Second-round pick Micah Peavy and fourth-year wing Bryce McGowens have been taking on challenging defensive assignments recently with Jones sidelined, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. “That’s what I want to do,” said Peavy, who finished Monday’s game with 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and four steals in 20 minutes. “Herb is a great defender. And I want to be known as a great defender in this league. I take on that challenge of guarding the best player, especially when Herb’s out. I think I’m doing a pretty good job.” McGowens is on a two-way contract with New Orleans, while Peavy signed a multiyear standard deal after being selected No. 40 overall in June’s draft.
The Pelicans are just 1-7 since James Borrego took over as interim head coach following the dismissal of Willie Green, who was fired after a 2-10 start. However, the team has shown signs of progress, namely being more competitive in its losses, according to Walker. “As a competitor, I want us to win and I want us to make every shot,” Borrego said. “The results can overwhelm you at times. The best organizations I’ve been a part of are process-driven. They have an identity and they know what they believe in. They know what shots they are trying to create, whether they go in or not. Trust that this is where we need to go and the results will take care of themselves. We are getting closer to that. We are not near where we need to be, but we are getting close.”
Players have been pleased with Borrego’s performance thus far, Walker adds in the same story. “I know he’s in a tough spot with everything that went on,” Williamson said. “He’s been doing a great job finding our identity for the team. The guys are behind him. The staff is behind him. We’re with him.”

Kevon Looney Discusses Return To Golden State

November 29th, 2025 at 2:50pm CST by Rory Maher

After 10 years with the franchise, Kevon Looney never received a contract offer from the Warriors as a free agent this past summer, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.

As Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle explains, the 29-year-old big man wanted to stay with the only NBA team he’d ever played for, but the Warriors were in a holding pattern until Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency was resolved. With a two-year, $16MM offer in hand from the Pelicans, Looney knew he had to make a decision, but the choice wasn’t as easy as it might seem.

“You want to be somewhere forever … but you never know in the NBA. Business is business,” Looney told Gordon. “… It’s bittersweet. I’ve got an opportunity to go somewhere and experience something new, but leaving somewhere that I call home, it was something that was tough, and that I really had to think about.”

Looney was a healthy scratch when the Warriors traveled to New Orleans earlier this month. On Saturday, he returns to Golden State as an opponent for the first time — and the three-time champion knows he’ll receive a warm reception.

“The Warriors always do it top class,” Looney said, per Gordon. “But as far as emotions. I don’t know what to expect. I’m always asked if I’m going to cry. I’m like, ‘No I don’t think so,’ but I don’t know. We’ll see when I get there.”

Looney’s on-court production has been limited this season with the Pelicans — he has averaged just 2.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game. However, the Warriors miss his leadership, rebounding, toughness, and “bone-crushing screens,” Thompson writes. For his part, Looney tells Gordon the Bay Area will “always be home for me.”

“The love they showed me, the family-oriented vibe of the Bay is something I’ve always been based off of. … For them to love me as one of their own is something I’ll always respect,” he said.

Injury Notes: Brown, Nembhard, Porzingis, MPJ, Pelicans

November 28th, 2025 at 6:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Star wing Jaylen Brown is questionable to suit up for the Celtics on Saturday in Minnesota, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Brown, who has appeared in all 18 of Boston’s games thus far in 2025/26, is dealing with lower back spasms.

The 29-year-old has taken on an increased offensive workload with Jayson Tatum out with a torn Achilles tendon. Brown is averaging a career-high 28.2 points per game this season while also contributing 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard has been ruled out of Friday’s game against Washington because of a right quad contusion, relays Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. However, it doesn’t sound like Nembhard’s injury is serious — head coach Rick Carlisle hopes to have the team’s starting point guard back on Saturday vs. Chicago (Twitter link via Dopirak).
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis is battling an illness and won’t play in Friday’s matchup vs. Cleveland, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). While Porzingis has been productive in his first season with Atlanta, availability continues to be an issue — Friday will mark his eighth missed game in the Hawks’ first 20 games of the season.
Michael Porter Jr. has been a bright spot for the tanking Nets, posting career-best numbers in several statistical categories. However, the 27-year-old forward is out for Friday’s game against Philadelphia due to lower back tightness. Brian Lewis of The New York Post asked Friday evening whether Porter’s injury would result in a short- or long-term absence (Twitter link). “Obviously we’re never going to rush him. His health, body, is the No. 1 priority,” head coach Jordi Fernandez replied. “We’re not concerned…We’ll give an update after the game.”
In addition to Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture), Jordan Poole (left quad strain) and Herbert Jones (right calf strain), the Pelicans will also be without second-year big man Karlo Matkovic (right calf strain) and third-year guard Jordan Hawkins (illness) on Saturday at Golden State, per a team press release. Versatile wing Trey Murphy III, who is dealing with right elbow soreness, is questionable to suit up against the Warriors.

Siegel’s Latest: DeRozan, Sabonis, Wolves, Claxton, Kuminga, Wiggins

November 28th, 2025 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the three Kings veteran stars considered in-season trade candidates, DeMar DeRozan looks like the one most likely to be on the move ahead of the February 5 deadline, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

As Siegel explains, DeRozan’s relatively team-friendly contract structure – $24.6MM this season and a $10MM partial guarantee on his $25.7MM salary for 2026/27 – makes him a more manageable investment for most clubs than either Zach LaVine or Domantas Sabonis. LaVine is earning $47.5MM this season, with a $49MM player option for ’26/27, while Sabonis will be owed $94MM over the next two seasons after making $42.3MM in ’25/26.

The Bucks, Clippers, Heat, Trail Blazers, and Grizzlies are some of the potential suitors to watch for DeRozan, says Siegel, though he doesn’t explicitly state that all those clubs have shown interest in the veteran forward.

Sabonis, who is currently on the shelf with a meniscus tear, will likely have to show he’s healthy before drawing real interest on the trade market. According to Siegel, the Sacramento big man isn’t expected to begin the return-to-play portion of his recovery process until sometime around Christmas.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA, courtesy of Siegel:

There’s a “growing sense” that the Timberwolves would be willing to sell high on forward Julius Randle in the right deal this season, Siegel writes. Minnesota is known to be on the lookout for a point guard, having checked in on Ja Morant. The team has also inquired about Cavaliers guard Darius Garland for the past year-plus, sources tell Siegel. However, the Wolves’ lack of tradable first-round picks will be complicate their ability to make any major moves.
Nets center Nic Claxton is considered a trade candidate and has come up in discussions with sources around the NBA as a possible Warriors target, Siegel writes. However, given that the Nets showed no interest in pursuing Jonathan Kuminga using their cap room when he was a restricted free agent over the summer, it doesn’t appear the fifth-year forward would be a target for Brooklyn. Claxton has also been considered a potential Lakers target dating back to last season, Siegel notes.
The Pacers are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Kuminga, having “quietly” scouted him since the start of last season, according to Siegel, who wonders if the Warriors would have any interest in a deal involving Bennedict Mathurin. There’s a sense around the league that Indiana might look to move a player like Mathurin, Jarace Walker, or Obi Toppin due in part to the club’s cap situation going forward, Siegel adds.
The Warriors are known to have interest in forwards Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones and will likely talk to the Pelicans during the season, Siegel writes. It’s unclear if New Orleans would be open to moving either Murphy or Jones, but they represent the sort of “versatile wings” that Golden State will likely be targeting in a Kuminga trade, Siegel explains.
If the Heat were to trade Andrew Wiggins this season, they’d be seeking a first-round pick, plus a player or two who could step into their rotation and be a positive contributor, per Siegel. The Lakers were linked to Wiggins during the offseason and the Bucks also inquired about him, Siegel reports, but Miami hasn’t had any serious trade talks about the veteran forward as of late.

Bulls Notes: Expiring Contracts, Defense, Queen, Essengue, Collins

November 26th, 2025 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

This season will go a long way toward shaping the future of the Bulls, who could have as many as eight free agents next summer, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu, Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry all have expiring contracts, while Chicago holds a $2.4MM team option on Julian Phillips for next season.

According to Cowley, coach Billy Donovan has been emphasizing to his players since training camp that they have a common goal in helping one another have the brightest possible NBA future.

‘‘We’ve got eight guys on expiring contracts,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘They’re all tied together. Their futures and careers are in each other’s hands. You get a player that’s young, that’s in their first or second year, they’re looking down the road and thinking, ‘Fifteen years is forever.’ Vooch is sitting there saying, ‘Hey, this went by like that.’ So I do think that there’s an urgency by Vooch, a mindset, a mentality.’’

Cowley suggests that urgency helps to explain Vucevic’s weekend comments after a one-point win over Washington when he said the team was “very soft” for most of the game. Cowley notes that Vucevic and his family like living in Chicago, and the front office could have interest in re-signing the 35-year-old center if the season goes well. He adds that executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has displayed loyalty to Donovan and much of the roster, and several players could receive multiyear contracts if the Bulls are able to exceed expectations.

‘‘They have to understand the urgency because they all have something to do with each other’s success and they all have something to do with each other’s future,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘I think the moment you get out of yourself and start thinking, ‘What can I do to help the man next to me? What can I do to help the man on the court?’ that’s when you find out the guys that are really committed.’’

There’s more from Chicago:

The Bulls’ defensive issues have become more apparent during their recent downturn, Cowley states in a separate story. A lack of size and physicality was glaring in games against Washington and New Orleans, and Donovan believes it can only be overcome with a team-wide approach. “For our team, maybe outside Isaac Okoro, we don’t have one guy right now where you can say, ‘This guy is a defensive stopper, this is what this guy hangs his hat on.’ We don’t have that,” he said. “So we have to do it collectively. It’s not one guy’s fault; it’s all of us. It’s the coaches, the players, we all have to do it. We just don’t have the type of guys that you’re going to put on a guy, and he’s going to shut them down.”
The Bulls had serious interest in Pelicans rookie big man Derik Queen with the 12th pick in this year’s draft, Cowley relays in another story. They opted for French forward Noa Essengue, who has spent most of the season in the G League, because they viewed him as a better fit for their up-tempo style. “When the draft actually came, there’s things that happen in that moment,” Donovan explained. “You’ve got five minutes to make that pick. I think (the front office) was looking at Noa as an opportunity long-term — ‘This guy fits the way we would like to play.’ I did not get from the front office or even the scouts that (Queen wasn’t) a fit. (But) I think they thought the way we were playing, Noa, maybe from an upside standpoint, another athletic wing, a long defender, (was) maybe something we needed defensively.”
Collins is expected to begin participating in full-court practices later this week as he moves closer to making his season debut, Cowley adds. The team is hoping to have Collins, who has been sidelined with an injured left hand, back on the court by early December.

Southwest Notes: Sheppard, Edey, Coward, Pelicans

November 25th, 2025 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets guard Reed Sheppard made just 2-of-9 shots from the floor in his first start of the season on Monday in Phoenix, but he contributed five assists and three steals in his 27 minutes, and Houston was a +6 when he was on the court. It marked the eighth consecutive game in which the Rockets outscored their opponent during Sheppard’s minutes.

While the 21-year-old still has plenty of room to grow, Sheppard has taken a significant step forward so far this season, with his averages – 13.1 PPG and 3.2 APG on .490/.471/.706 shooting – up across the board. As William Guillory of The Athletic writes, Houston’s odds of competing for a title are only increasing as a result of the second-year guard’s improvement.

“The real thing is the opportunity he’s getting, and he’s taking advantage of it,” head coach Ime Udoka said of Sheppard last week. “You’re going to get more of a rhythm with the more minutes and opportunities you get. We needed him to take that step this year, regardless of Fred (VanVleet) being out. He’s really been great. We want him to continue to be confident.”

Sheppard, who started in place of Kevin Durant on Monday, could have another opportunity to be part of the starting five on Wednesday in Golden State, with Durant out for a second straight game for personal reasons.

Here’s more from out of the Southwest:

After missing the first 13 games of the Grizzlies‘ season as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery, center Zach Edey exited his fifth game back early on Monday due to a head injury. If Edey is forced to miss time, it would be a major blow to Memphis, says Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, given that the club has a +16.5 net rating in Edey’s minutes and a -8.0 mark when he doesn’t play. “Zach is a huge part of what we do, both offensively and defensively,” teammate Cedric Coward said after Monday’s loss to Denver. “Just his presence alone is so meaningful to the team. You guys understand, when he came back, how much better our team got defensively, on the rebounding end, even the offensive end. His roles are gravitating guys inside, so we’re getting easier shots on the outside. It was a huge loss.”
Coward has been one of the NBA’s most productive rookies this fall and is making the Grizzlies look good for trading up to No. 11 in June to draft him, as a Western Conference scout tells Grant Afseth of RG.org. “He only played six Division I games after the partially torn rotator cuff, and that made him one of the biggest unknowns in the draft,” the scout said of Coward. “A lot of scouts weren’t sure how his game would translate against top talent because he’d spent most of his college career at Willamette and Eastern Washington. But Memphis clearly saw something real. … And now he’s outperforming even the optimistic projections. He looks completely comfortable at this level.”
The Pelicans‘ past two games provided a reminder of Zion Williamson‘s impact. After scoring just 98 points on Saturday as Williamson sat out the second game of a back-to-back, New Orleans poured in 143 points on Monday vs. Chicago with Williamson back on the court. While the star forward led the way with 29 points, Monday’s performance was a team effort, with eight players scoring in double figures, writes Les East of NOLA.com. “You couldn’t ask for a better team win when you look at the stat sheet,” said interim head coach James Borrego, who registered his first win since taking over for Willie Green.
Outside of the Hornets, who drafted four players in the top 34 in June, no team has gotten more minutes from its rookies so far this season than the Pelicans, according to Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. That trend figures to continue going forward, Eichenhofer posits, since Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Micah Peavy are all part of the rotation now and should see regular playing time with several New Orleans veterans sidelined due to injuries.

Pelicans Share Injury Updates On Herb Jones, Jordan Poole

November 24th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forward Herbert Jones has been diagnosed with a mild right calf strain, the team announced today (via Twitter).

According to the Pelicans, Jones will be reevaluated in approximately one week. That timeline suggests he’ll be sidelined for upcoming games against Chicago (Monday), Memphis (Wednesday), Golden State (Saturday), and the Lakers (Sunday), and could remain on the shelf beyond that.

Jones, an All-Defensive first-teamer in 2023/24, was limited to just 20 appearances last season due to a shoulder injury, but got healthy in time for the start of the ’25/26 campaign. He was in the Pelicans’ starting lineup for their first 16 games, averaging 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per contest, with a .390/.362/.739 shooting line.

Saddiq Bey, who previously stepped into New Orleans’ starting five when Zion Williamson was out with a hamstring strain, is a candidate to take Jones’ spot in the lineup. Rookie Micah Peavy should also play an increased role — with Jones and Williamson both inactive on Saturday vs. Atlanta, Peavy made his first career start and logged a personal-high 27 minutes.

The Pelicans also shared a more positive injury update, announcing that guard Jordan Poole has been cleared to resume on-court basketball activities. Poole has missed the past 10 games due to a mild quad strain.

The Pelicans didn’t provide a specific timeline for Poole’s return, simply stating that his return to play progression will be “updated appropriately.” However, barring a setback, Poole shouldn’t require a lengthy ramp-up period, so could be back in the relatively near future.

In his first seven games with New Orleans this fall, Poole averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per night, shooting just 35.4% from the floor (33.9% on three-pointers).

And-Ones: K. George, Canada, 2026 Draft, Boozer, More

November 23rd, 2025 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

Wizards wing Kyshawn George, one of two active NBA players to represent Canada in the 2025 AmeriCup (Timberwolves forward Leonard Miller was the other), tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that he “one hundred per cent” hopes to play for his home country in the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

“That’s one of my goals, to be able to be on that final team that’s going to compete for gold,” George said. “I’m just trusting the process, doing what I can do day-to-day to prove that I belong.”

George, a first-round pick in 2024, had yet to make his NBA regular season debut when Team Canada won bronze at the 2023 World Cup or competed in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. But he has taken a significant step forward in his second season in the league, with averages of 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, plus a .484/.440/.773 shooting line. The 21-year-old credited his time with the national team this summer as a factor in his breakout fall.

“I do a lot of individual work in the offseason,” George said. “But there’s no better way to put it into practice than in an actual game. I was grateful to be able to play for Team Canada and to have them trust me to have that type of role where they trusted me with the ball and to make plays for myself and my teammates, and I think that just kind of led into training camp and the start of the season, where the Wizards have trusted me to make the right decision on the floor.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic shares some of his early takeaways on notable 2026 draft prospects, including explaining why most scouts seem to have Cameron Boozer behind Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa in the race for the No. 1 overall pick. Vecenie points to shot creation and finishing at the rim as areas where Boozer has room for improvement.
Which teams are most in need of a “blow it up” trade? Sam Quinn of CBS Sports ranks all 30 teams by that metric, from the Thunder at No. 30 to the Kings at No. 1. The Mavericks, Pelicans, Clippers, and Grizzlies are also in Quinn’s top five.
The Athletic’s NBA writers identify one area of concern for all 30 NBA teams, including frontcourt depth for the Celtics, turnovers for the Rockets, and three-point shooting for the Lakers.
Veteran NBA reporter Zach Lowe has joined Amazon Prime Video’s NBA coverage, tweets Richard Deitsch of The Athletic. Lowe, who currently works for The Ringer after a previous stint with ESPN, will appear on Amazon’s studio show periodically throughout the NBA season.

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Queen, Dumars, Front Office

November 21st, 2025 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

Forward Zion Williamson returned to the court on Wednesday after missing the previous eight games due to a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, and the Pelicans played better than they had in the past week, writes Les East of NOLA.com. However, it wasn’t enough against the Nuggets. New Orleans lost its seventh consecutive game, and now has losing streaks of six and seven games sandwiching its only two victories of the season.

Despite not having registered a win since taking over for Willie Green as the Pelicans’ head coach last Saturday, James Borrego was encouraged by what he saw from Williamson, who was a +14 during his 29 minutes of action. The club was outscored by 21 points in the 19 minutes the former No. 1 overall pick didn’t play.

“He got us off to a really good start,” Borrego said after the loss. “His energy and spirit are really important for the team, the city and the organization. We feel like we have a shot every night when he’s on the floor. We didn’t drop the sword tonight, and that’s his spirit.”

Here’s more out of New Orleans:

Williamson went through a full practice on Thursday and isn’t listed on the injury report for Friday’s game in Dallas, but it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be cleared to play in back-to-backs coming off his latest hamstring injury, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. The Pelicans will return home after their matchup with the Mavericks to host Atlanta on Saturday.
Rookie big man Derik Queen continues to be one of the bright spots in New Orleans amid the team’s disappointing 2-13 start. He led the club with 30 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday’s loss, shooting 12-of-18 from the floor and chipping in four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Borrego referred to the performance as an “impressive first go” at three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, a player that Queen has “looked up to for many years,” as Rod Walker of NOLA.com relays. “He’s an amazing player,” Jokic said after the game. “You can see some similarities (to me). I don’t want people to see him and tell him he’s something like me. He’s a good enough player to have his own story.”
With the Pelicans’ front office facing scrutiny for some of its offseason decisions, Shamit Dua of In The N.O. shares an interesting new detail on the team’s basketball operations department, writing that Joe Dumars‘ son, 34-year-old Jordan Dumars, has become part of management’s inner circle. The Pelicans never formally announced the hiring of the younger Dumars, but sources who spoke to Dua describe Jordan, his father, and senior VP of basketball operations Troy Weaver as being “attached at the hip.” The team told Dua that Jordan’s title is “basketball operations consultant” and confirmed that he has been participating in basketball strategy meetings and discussions.

Pelicans Notes: Dumars, Weaver, Borrego, Mosley, Peavy

November 19th, 2025 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans didn’t conduct an extensive search before hiring Joe Dumars as their new head of basketball operations in the spring, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who hears from sources that Dumars has one of the NBA’s “most generous” executive contracts despite the fact that New Orleans isn’t typically among the league’s bigger spenders.

After the Pelicans hired Dumars and awarded him that “generous” contract just two days after firing David Griffin and three days after last season ended, the veteran executive seems to be deferring to top lieutenant Troy Weaver on many of the team’s biggest roster decisions, Hollinger writes. Echoing earlier reporting from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Hollinger says the offseason trades for Jordan Poole and Derik Queen were both believed to be spearheaded by Weaver.

According to Hollinger, executives around the NBA were “utterly baffled” by the Pelicans’ decision to bring in Weaver as their senior VP of basketball operations, since there “wasn’t exactly a bidding war” among teams looking to hire him in a high-ranking front office role after a disappointing run with the Pistons. Sources in Detroit tell The Athletic that no one from the Pelicans called Weaver’s former team to vet him before he was hired in New Orleans.

Still, Hollinger isn’t blaming Weaver for the Pelicans’ slow start this season, suggesting that team owner Gayle Benson and Dumars deserve more of the criticism for their “arm’s-length operation” of the organization and the basketball operations department, respectively.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), James Borrego‘s best chance to keep the Pelicans’ head coaching job beyond this season would be to significantly improve the team’s offense, which ranked 27th in the NBA at the time of Willie Green‘s dismissal. Borrego is known for his offensive acumen, Fischer notes — the Hornets ranked eighth in that department during the coach’s final year in Charlotte in 2021/22.
Hollinger is skeptical that Borrego will remain in New Orleans long-term, suggesting this season will more likely be an audition for his next job, with a Weaver-connected candidate such as Kevin Ollie getting the Pelicans’ permanent job next spring. While Fischer has also heard the rumblings linking Ollie to the Pelicans, he says Ollie’s standing in New Orleans is “a bit murky.”
One name that would be on the Pelicans’ wish list, according to Fischer, is Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, though there’s no indication that he’ll become available anytime soon. As Fischer writes, Orlando’s front office initiated some changes to Mosley’s coaching staff during the offseason, and the team got off to a slow start this fall amid whispers of a disconnect between Mosley and star forward Paolo Banchero. However, the club appears to be hitting its stride this month — the Magic have won seven of their last 10 games, with two of those losses coming by just four points apiece.
Queen and Jeremiah Fears have played greater roles in the early going, but another Pelicans rookie, second-rounder Micah Peavy, is starting to earn regular playing time too, observes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. A 6’7″ wing, Peavy has appeared in each of New Orleans’ past seven games and submitted his best performance of the season on Monday vs. Oklahoma City, contributing 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with four assists and four rebounds. “I thought he came out and gave us great energy,” Borrego said. “Crashing the boards. Defensively, he really impacted that game. So I’m really proud of him. He responded tonight and that was a bright spot, for sure.”
As Walker details, Peavy takes pride in his defense and has said he wants to make a Jose Alvarado-esque impact by bringing “energy” as part of the Pelicans’ second unit. “I want to be that spark plug off the bench. I see how Jose goes in and he’s the spark plug, and I want to do that as well,” Peavy said. “Do whatever it takes to be on the floor and make winning plays. Especially with my defense. That’s where I think I can help the team the most. And then knock down shots like I did (Monday).”