New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Daigneault, Nuggets, Blazers, Holiday, Jazz

November 15th, 2020 at 9:01pm CST by JD Shaw

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault took a rather unique path toward his new position, starting out as a manager at UConn several years ago, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes.

“I’ve been with people that have definitely seen potential in me and definitely believe in me,” Daigneault said, “but they’ve given me these opportunities well before I’ve earned them. They’ve invested rather than rewarded.”

Oklahoma City promoted Daigneault, 35, as the franchise’s new coach this month, making him the second-youngest head coach in the league besides Minnesota’s Ryan Saunders. He first joined the organization in 2014 as head coach of the team’s G League affiliate.

“When Sam called me and offered me the job the other day,” Daigneault said, “I was just so overwhelmed thinking about all the people that have had their fingerprints on my life and career.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division tonight:

Mike Singer of the Denver Post explores the Nuggets‘ thinking ahead of the draft, with team president Tim Connelly offering his own perspective on the upcoming event. “Collectively teams are probably less certain what might be happening around them, what other teams are thinking, because we’ve lacked those avenues to get together and talk about what this team’s doing, that team’s doing,” Connelly said. “It should make for a fun night. There’s some clarity on the very top of the draft, and then after that, it’ll largely be a free-for-all.”
The Trail Blazers have expressed interest in Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor (Twitter link). O’Connor added that a potential trade between the teams remains unlikely, however, citing Portland’s lack of potential assets to include in an offer.
Sarah Todd of the Deseret News examines five prospects the Jazz should consider in Wednesday’s NBA draft. Utah owns the No. 23 pick this year, which could be used on a player such as Tyler Bey (Colorado) or Robert Woodard II (Mississippi State).

Corey Brewer Joins Pelicans In Player Development Role

November 15th, 2020 at 7:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday has continued to register league-wide interest, with several teams looking to acquire a top-10 draft pick in hopes of flipping it in a deal for the 30-year-old, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).

Veteran forward Corey Brewer is joining the Pelicans in a player development role, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 (Twitter link). Assuming this is it for Brewer’s playing career, the 34-year-old spent 13 seasons with eight different teams, most recently with the Kings. Brewer held career-averages of 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 22.9 minutes per game, appearing in a total of 819 contests.

Draft Notes: Anthony, Vassell, Maledon, Maxey

November 13th, 2020 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Southeast Division clubs have shown the most interest in North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony. He’s had individual workouts for the Wizards, Heat and Magic, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony is ranked 19th on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Wizards own the No. 9 pick, with Orlando holding the No. 15 selection and Miami sitting at No. 20.

We have more draft news:

Florida State guard Devin Vassell, ranked 11th by ESPN, has worked out for a handful of teams, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Vassell said he’s visited with the Knicks, Warriors, Celtics, Hawks and Magic. The presence of the Hawks (No. 6 pick) and Knicks (No. 8) suggest Vassell could go in the top 10. Golden State’s interest is intriguing, suggesting Vassell would be a target if the club trades down from the No. 2 pick.
French point guard Theo Maledon has worked out for three Atlantic Division clubs as well as the Spurs, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The Nets (19th pick), Celtics (three first-rounders) and Raptors (No. 29) have also taken a look at Maledon, who is rated 24th overall by ESPN.
As of Thursday, the Pelicans were the only team to host Tyrese Maxey, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Kentucky shooting guard is 14th on ESPN’s list and New Orleans holds the 13th pick, so its interest late in the lottery makes sense.

Celtics Interested In Jrue Holiday

November 12th, 2020 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are interested in Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

O’Connor, who previously reported that Boston was interested in packaging its three first-round picks (Nos. 14, 26, and 30) in order to move up in the draft – perhaps to No. 6 – hears from multiple league sources that Boston’s intent would be to flip that newly-acquired mid-lottery pick to New Orleans in a deal for Holiday.

As O’Connor observes, the Celtics wouldn’t be able to take on Holiday’s contract ($26.2MM in 2020/21) without sending out significant salary of their own. Kemba Walker ($34.4MM) and Gordon Hayward ($34.2MM) are the only two players that would really make sense as outgoing pieces.

Presumably, of those two veterans, Boston would be more inclined to move Hayward, who would be on an expiring contract if he picks up his player option. Walker is under contract through 2023. It’s possible a deal between the C’s and Pelicans would also include other players and/or picks.

Holiday, 30, is coming off a 2019/20 season in which he averaged 19.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.6 SPG with a shooting line of .455/.353/.709 in 61 games (34.7 MPG) for the Pelicans. Although he didn’t earn a spot on one of this season’s All-Defensive teams, he has done so twice in the past and is widely considered one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. He holds a $27.1MM player option for 2021/22, giving him an opportunity to reach free agency next year.

New Orleans is said to be “openly discussing” the possibility of trading Holiday, with the Hawks and Nuggets among the many teams linked to him.

Hawks Rumors: Holiday, No. 6 Pick, Haliburton, Okongwu

November 12th, 2020 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Wednesday’s report linking the Hawks to Jrue Holiday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic explains in further detail why he’s hearing that Atlanta currently isn’t a probable landing spot for the Pelicans guard.

According to Kirschner, there’s a belief that if Atlanta pursued Holiday, it would take the No. 6 overall pick and two young players. The Hawks aren’t interested in giving up that substantial a package for a 30-year-old on an expiring contract, even if Holiday would be a great fit next to Trae Young in the backcourt.

The Hawks could still be involved in a three-team deal where Holiday goes to another team, and could even emerge as a viable landing spot for Holiday if the Pelicans’ asking price drops, says Kirschner. However, a trade that sees the club giving up two young players isn’t being considered.

Here’s more on the Hawks from Kirschner:

Kirschner also addressed trade rumors related to the No. 6 pick, writing that if the draft were today, Atlanta would be prepared to make that selection rather than moving it. He also clarifies that the rumored Timberwolves proposal for the No. 6 pick – which includes the No. 17 pick and Jarrett Culver – is an offer Minnesota has put on the table for multiple teams.
Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton, and Onyeka Okongwu look like the Hawks’ most likely targets if the club remains at No. 6, though Avdija may be off the board by then, Kirschner writes. If Haliburton and Okongwu are available, Kirschner thinks Atlanta would probably lean toward the former Iowa State guard.
Kirschner wonders if the Spurs, who own the No. 11 pick, might be a potential trade partner for Atlanta. Kirschner believes the Hawks would be interested in moving down if they could acquire a young player like Derrick White or Dejounte Murray, though I’m skeptical San Antonio would give up either player to move up five spots. Because Atlanta would prefer a young player whose timeline matches up with the current core, veterans like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan are probably unlikely targets, Kirschner adds.

Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More

November 11th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.

However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.

As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:

Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.

Hawks Emerging As Suitor For Jrue Holiday?

November 11th, 2020 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

11:22am: Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link) provides a conflicting report on Holiday, citing multiple sources who say that Atlanta isn’t currently a possible trade destination for the Pelicans guard.

10:32am: The Hawks are emerging as a potential trade destination for Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Both Stein and Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) suggest that a three-team structure is a possibility for a Holiday deal.

According to Stein, the expectation is that the No. 6 pick in next week’s draft would be involved if the Hawks are able to make a move for Holiday. A previous report indicated that New Orleans is among the teams expressing interest in that selection, along with Minnesota and Boston.

The Hawks are an intriguing suitor for an impact player like Holiday, who would be a good fit alongside up-and-coming star Trae Young. Atlanta badly wants to make the postseason in 2021 and is focusing on adding veteran talent rather than another young prospect, making that No. 6 pick expendable.

Additionally, no team projects to have more cap room available this fall, which means the Hawks could theoretically absorb a salary like Holiday’s ($26.2MM) without sending out any money in return. That could be appealing if New Orleans or another potential trade partner wants to cut costs.

While the Hawks are emerging as a viable suitor for Holiday, they’ll face plenty of competition for the veteran guard, who is one of the few big names expected to be available via trade this offseason. A previous report indicated that the Pelicans are “openly discussing” Holiday, while another report said about 10 clubs had already inquired on him. The Nuggets and Nets are considered likely to be among his most aggressive suitors.

Holiday, 30, is coming off a 2019/20 season in which he averaged 19.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.6 SPG with a shooting line of .455/.353/.709 in 61 games (34.7 MPG) for the Pelicans. Although he didn’t earn a spot on one of this season’s All-Defensive teams, he has done so twice in the past and is widely considered one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders. He holds a $27.1MM player option for 2021/22, giving him an opportunity to reach free agency next year.

Hawks’ No. 6 Pick Drawing Interest From Wolves, Pelicans, Celtics

November 11th, 2020 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

While the Timberwolves’ and Warriors’ attempts to move down from the top two spots in the 2020 NBA draft have dominated headlines, there are other clubs in the top half of the lottery with interest in trading down. The Hawks are one of those teams, and they’ve generated some interest in the No. 6 overall pick, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who reports (via Twitter) that the Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Celtics are among the teams exploring a deal.

Sources tell O’Connor that Minnesota is attempting to acquire a second lottery pick in addition to the No. 1 selection and have had talks with Atlanta about the No. 6 pick. If the Wolves attempt to move up, a deal could include the No. 17 selection and Jarrett Culver, says O’Connor.

This isn’t the first time Culver’s name has popped up in trade rumors. Zach Lowe of ESPN said last week that he believes Minnesota would only move the 2019 first-rounder in a deal for a star or for a high draft pick that would help the Wolves acquire a star. It’s not clear whether the No. 6 pick would fit that bill.

The Pelicans (No. 13) and Celtics (No. 14) currently hold the last two picks in the lottery. We’ve heard previously that Boston has explored the possibility of moving up into the middle of the lottery, dangling the No. 26 and No. 30 picks as a sweetener.

As for which prospects those teams might be targeting at No. 6, O’Connor hears from sources that Florida State’s Patrick Williams is one primary target. Williams has been frequently linked to the Pistons at No. 7, so any other team that wants him may have to move ahead of Detroit to secure his draft rights.

According to O’Connor, the Wolves are also high on Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton. John Hollinger of The Athletic conveyed a similar sentiment on Tuesday, writing that he could see the Wolves taking Haliburton over Anthony Edwards if they trade down from No. 1.

Jamelle McMillan Won't Be Retained

November 9th, 2020 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jamelle McMillan will not return on the Pelicans’ coaching staff with Stan Van Gundy in charge, Christian Clark and Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Times Picayune report. McMillan has been in the New Orleans organization for eight seasons, though he also had a stint with the Suns. He’s the son of former Pacers coach Nate McMillan, who is reportedly joining the Hawks’ staff.

Community Shootaround: Jrue Holiday

November 5th, 2020 at 8:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With a moratorium in effect, the Pelicans can’t trade Jrue Holiday at the moment. However, they are reportedly listening to offers for the talented combo guard, who has two years left on his contract, including a $27.1MM player option for the 2021/22 season.

Holiday’s hefty $26.2MM salary for next season could be a stumbling block for potential suitors but there’s expected to be stiff competition for his services. William Guillory and other members of The Athletic staff provided their opinions on the teams most likely to pursue Holiday, concluding that the Nets, Pacers, Heat and Mavericks were the logical landing spots.

In search of third star or something close to it, the Nets could formulate a package that might include some combination of Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince and one or two first-round picks, The Athletic speculated. The Pacers could offer a deal featuring center Myles Turner, who has three years left on his contract, to make him Zion Williamson‘s frontcourt partner.

The Heat may have to part with postseason star Tyler Herro, salary filler, and a draft pick to entice the Pelicans. The Mavericks would presumably have strong interest in pairing Holiday with Luka Doncic but the potential return for New Orleans is tougher to figure — perhaps a package that includes Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry.

That leads us to our question of the day: If the Pelicans deal Holiday, where is he most likely to end up?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.