New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: AD Trade, LeBron, Pelinka, More

October 9th, 2019 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

When David Griffin arrived in New Orleans as the Pelicans‘ new head of basketball operations, he was faced with a predicament related to Anthony Davis, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Sources confirm to McMenamin that there was some lingering resentment toward the Lakers within the Pelicans’ organization – all the way up to ownership – due to the way AD’s public trade request played out earlier in the year. However, Griffin also recognized that L.A. was the most logical trade partner for New Orleans.

“When I took over, there was some latent discontent, maybe with the way things had been handled,” Griffin said. “We just talked about the fact that, look, in all likelihood the best package is going to come from this team, because it’s the only team that AD’s willing to stay at.”

As McMenamin details, agent Rich Paul had signaled to the Celtics and other suitors that Davis wouldn’t re-sign with them in 2020, since the big man wanted to play in New York or Los Angeles.

“The last thing you want to do is put a GM in a situation where he trades away an asset and then the guy walks out the door,” Paul said. “Like, you can’t do business that way. So it’s not really a hard conversation to have. And I don’t think it stopped [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge from trying. It’s just that maybe he didn’t have the deal [he wanted]. He wasn’t willing to give up the young players, which I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t give them up either if the guy is not going to re-sign.”

The Pelicans’ big win on draft lottery night helped clear a path for the team to work something out with the Lakers for Davis, as Paul observed to McMenamin: “The fact that [the Pelicans] were going to get the first pick caused me to understand that it softened the blow of losing Anthony Davis because the organization could still have some momentum.”

McMenamin’s story at ESPN provides an in-depth look at several other aspects of the Lakers’ pursuit and acquisition of Davis, as well as the franchise’s adjustment to having him on the roster. Here are some of the highlights:

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said that even on the day the Lakers and Pelicans reached a trade agreement, there were a couple times he was convinced a deal wouldn’t come together. But the front office persevered in part because they believed they owed it to LeBron James. “When a player of LeBron’s stature puts his trust in the organization,” Pelinka said, “I think there’s an implicit bilateral trust going back, saying: ‘We’re going to do everything we can to put you in a position to win more championships, because that’s what you’re about.'”
Pelinka, who added that he believes in treating his superstar players “like partners,” admitted that he has probably had hundreds of three-way calls with James and Davis since the trade as he has solicited their opinions on certain roster moves. “Every single decision. I [have] never been involved so much,” Davis said. “No matter who the player was, he wanted to make sure. It was on everything. And it was like, ‘Wow.’ To the point where I was like, ‘All right, Rob, stop calling me.'”
Kendrick Perkins, who was teammates with LeBron in Cleveland and AD in New Orleans, had a hand in bringing the two stars together. The veteran big man introduced Davis to Klutch Sports in 2018 when word got out that he was considering an agent change, writes McMenamin.
Rich Paul believes that Davis’ ability to make threes and pass the ball separates him from other stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo. AD’s agent offered the following spicy take: “If you put Anthony Davis on that Bucks team last year, they’d be playing in the Finals. He knows how to make guys better. That’s not a knock to Giannis, but that’s just what [I think].”
The NBA was willing to allow LeBron to give up his jersey number (23) to Davis despite the paperwork not being filed in time, but Nike nixed the idea, citing tens of millions of dollars in wasted inventory on James jerseys, sources tell McMenamin.

And-Ones: India, Johnson, Robinson, Ball

October 4th, 2019 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Commissioner Adam Silver would like to start a professional basketball league in India, perhaps in the next five years, Marc Spears of ESPN reports. India would have to build state-of-the-art arenas to make that happen. The NBA had to make numerous additions — including seats, big video screens and lights — to stage a preseason game there between the Kings and Pacers on Friday.

“I think it’s inevitable that there will be state-of-the-art arenas in major cities in India, in part because these are multi-use facilities and live entertainment is increasingly important here as well. … We do need to see those arenas over time in order to play more games,” Silver said.

There’s growing interest in the league in India and its youngsters are harboring NBA dreams, Reid Forgrave of the New York Times reports.

We have more from the basketball world:

Joe Johnson is fighting for a roster spot with the Pistons and the veteran forward hopes other players can use the BIG3 as a springboard to relaunch their careers, Eric Woodyard of ESPN writes. “That was another reason why I thought it was very important for me to take this opportunity, because those guys in the BIG3, a lot of them anyway, have hopes to at some point to be able to get back in the league,” said Johnson, who signed a partially guaranteed contract with Detroit. “So I just wanted to let everyone know that it’s possible just to get to this point.” Johnson was the BIG3 MVP this year.
Former NBA forward Thomas Robinson has drawn major interest from two Chinese teams, Zhejiang Guangsha and Liaoning, according to a report from Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. The 2012 lottery pick last played in the NBA during the 2016/17 season, when he saw action in 48 games with the Lakers.
Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster has countersued Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and his father, LaVar Ball, for alleged fraudulent concealment and breach of contract, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Foster alleges that LaVar Ball embezzled more than $2.6MM from Big Baller Brand and other companies associated with the family to fund an extravagant lifestyle. The Balls sued Foster in April for more than $2MM for alleged embezzlement.

Zion Williamson Measures In At 6'6"

October 4th, 2019 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA instituting a new rule requiring teams to submit accurate height measurements for their players, Charania notes that Zion Williamson‘s height was one of the more notable entries of the last week. The Pelicans‘ power forward came in at just 6’6″.

Pelicans Notes: Williamson, Griffin, Offseason

October 2nd, 2019 at 6:33pm CST by clarkcrum

Pelicans players, coaches and executives alike are trying to shield phenom Zion Williamson from as much of the pressure and spotlight that comes with being the most-hyped player since LeBron James that they can, but it may be a futile endeavor, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Vardon admits it’s an admirable strategy, to try to create an environment in which Williamson matures into an adult naturally, to the degree that’s possible as a professional basketball player. But it’s hard to convince people that this is Jrue Holiday‘s team when everybody and their mother at media day only wants to hear from Zion, even if it meant waiting after the Pels purposely didn’t bring him out until later.

“He’s still 19, a very young 19,” Pelicans’ Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin said. “I think Zion is finding more comfort just with himself as a man, as a person. And that’s really important to us. We don’t have expectations that we are hoisting on him with the players. It’s really about finding himself, finding comfort with his teammates, finding his role and we’re blessed. All Zion wants to do is win.”

But whatever Griffin says, the NBA didn’t “put (the Pelicans) on national TV 30 times” because of anybody but Zion, and New Orleans knows this. So try as they might, the Pelicans probably won’t be able to protect Williamson from what’s coming at him this season.

There’s more news this evening from the Big Easy:

As training camp gets underway, William Guillory of The Athletic writes that the Pelicans’ uncertainty entering camp might be higher than it is with any other NBA franchise, as New Orleans only returns five of 20 players from last season’s roster – Holiday, E’Twaun Moore, Darius Miller, Jahlil Okafor, and Frank Jackson.
Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com explores how Griffin was able to make good on his promise to bring multiple, accomplished NBA veterans to New Orleans when he took over in April. One example? Griffin managed to bring in J.J. Redick, Derrick Favors, and Nicolo Melli, a trio that boasts a combined 30-plus seasons of professional experience.
ICYMI, Luke Adams took a look at how New Orleans was able to successfully transition from one franchise player to another in the span of a few months, among other Pelicans’ related tidbits, as part of our 2019 Offseason in Review series.

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Grizzlies, Barea, D’Antoni

October 1st, 2019 at 4:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Brandon Ingram‘s 2018/19 season came to an early end in March when he was diagnosed with a blood clot that required thoracic outlet decompression surgery. The health issue derailed perhaps the best stretch of Ingram’s career, as he had averaged 22.5 PPG on .558/.406/.748 shooting in the 17 games leading up to the diagnosis.

However, on Media Day in New Orleans, Ingram told reporters – including Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link) – that he’s no longer taking medication for his blood clot issue and expects to be healthy going forward.

That’s good news for the young forward and for the Pelicans, who could offer Ingram a rookie scale extension before an October 21 deadline. Head of basketball operations David Griffin acknowledged that possibility on Monday, but said New Orleans wants to see what Ingram looks like on the court with the team before engaging in any extension talks (Twitter link via Will Guillory of The Athletic).

Although the Pelicans should get the opportunity to see Ingram in action in some preseason games, the extension deadline falls before their regular season opener, so it would be a surprise if Griffin and the Pels seriously attempt to lock up the newly-acquired forward long-term before he reaches free agency in 2020.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Longtime Grizzlies executive John Hollinger has transitioned back into the media world, announcing this week that he has joined The Athletic. When Memphis shook up its front office in the spring, Hollinger was re-assigned to an advisory role, but he has apparently decided he’d rather return to his media roots — he formerly worked for ESPN, where he developed the Player Efficiency Rating (PER) stat.
After saying on Monday that he wasn’t ready to fully participate in training camp, Kyle Anderson reversed course and was a full go today, per head coach Taylor Jenkins (Twitter link via Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian). The Grizzlies‘ forward is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Veteran Mavericks guard J.J. Barea suffered an Achilles tear less than 10 months ago, but he says he “feels great” and doesn’t expect many limitations with the preseason around the corner, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. “I’m going to go,” Barea said. “Depends how I feel [if I] take some shortcuts here and there, but I’m going to try to get ready like normal.”
With newly-renewed championship aspirations, an expiring contract, and a former MVP to incorporate into his lineup, Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni may be facing his biggest challenge yet this season. Kelly Iko of The Athletic explores how D’Antoni is preparing for it.

2019 Offseason In Review: New Orleans Pelicans

September 28th, 2019 at 9:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2019 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2019/20 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- J.J. Redick: Two years, $26.5MM. Signed using cap room.
- Darius Miller: Two years, $14.25MM. Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- Nicolo Melli: Two years, $8MM. Signed using room exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Zylan Cheatham
- Josh Gray
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Jalen Adams: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Javon Bess: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).
- Kavell Bigby-Williams: One year, minimum salary (Exhibit 10).

Trades:

Acquired the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick, the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick, and cash ($1MM) from the Warriors in exchange for the draft rights to Alen Smailagic (No. 39 pick).
Acquired Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the Lakers’ 2021 first-round pick (9-30 protected; unprotected in 2022), the Lakers’ 2024 first-round pick (unprotected), the right to swap 2023 first-round picks with the Lakers, and cash ($1.1MM from Wizards; $1MM from Lakers) in a three-team trade with the Lakers and Wizards in exchange for Anthony Davis (to Lakers).
- Note: The Pelicans will have the option to defer the 2024 first-round pick to 2025.
Acquired the draft rights to Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 pick), the draft rights to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick), the draft rights to Marcos Louzada Silva (No. 35 pick), and the Cavaliers’ 2020 first-round pick (top-10 protected) from the Hawks in exchange for Solomon Hill, the draft rights to De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 pick), the draft rights to Jordan Bone (No. 57 pick), and the Pelicans’ 2023 second-round pick (31-45 protected).
- Note: The Cavaliers’ protected 2020 first-rounder will become two second-round picks (2021 and 2022) if it’s not conveyed in 2020.
Acquired Derrick Favors from the Jazz in exchange for the Warriors’ 2021 second-round pick and the Warriors’ 2023 second-round pick.

Draft picks:

1-1: Zion Williamson — Signed to rookie contract.
1-8: Jaxson Hayes — Signed to rookie contract.
1-17: Nickeil Alexander-Walker — Signed to rookie contract.
2-35: Marcos Louzada Silva — Will play overseas (Australia).

Departing players:

Dairis Bertans (waived)
Trevon Bluiett (two-way)
Ian Clark
Anthony Davis
Cheick Diallo
Solomon Hill
Stanley Johnson
Elfrid Payton
Julius Randle
Christian Wood (waived)

Other offseason news:

Hired David Griffin as executive VP of basketball operations.
Hired Trajan Langdon as general manager.
Hired Swin Cash as VP of basketball operations and team development.
Exercised 2020/21 option on head coach Alvin Gentry.
Hired Jeff Bzdelik as lead defensive assistant coach to replace Darren Erman.
Darius Miller suffered ruptured Achilles; team awarded disabled player exception.
Nicolo Melli underwent knee surgery.
Established new G League team (Erie BayHawks).
Hired Greivis Vasquez as associated head coach of Erie BayHawks.

Salary cap situation:

Used cap space; now over the cap.
Carrying approximately $114.76MM in guaranteed salary.
$664K of room exception still available ($4.1MM used on Nicolo Melli).
$3.625MM disabled player exception available (expires on 3/10/2020).

Story of the summer:

It’s rare that an NBA team is able to transition from one franchise player to a new one as cleanly as the Pelicans did this offseason.

Okay, maybe “clean” isn’t the right adjective to describe a saga that began with Anthony Davis publicly issuing a midseason trade request that torpedoed New Orleans’ 2018/19 season and mired the club in second-half turmoil. That was actually kind of a mess.

But things looked significantly less messy after the Pelicans landed the No. 1 overall pick at the draft lottery in May, putting them in position to select Zion Williamson, the most hyped prospect to enter the NBA since… well, maybe Davis himself.

The Pelicans later turned the page on the Davis era by trading the big man to the Lakers, and despite the fact that they had little leverage to send him anywhere except his preferred destination, the Pels made out pretty well in the deal, acquiring multiple young players and future first-round picks.

As AD exited the frame and Zion entered, the Pelicans also underwent an important transition in the front office, where David Griffin was hired as the team’s new head of basketball operations. For years, the Pels had essentially been overseen by the New Orleans Saints’ management team, giving them the feel of a junior varsity squad. But Griffin’s arrival signaled an important changing of the guard.

Besides bringing a championship pedigree to the Pelicans, Griffin brought something more important: a focus on building an infrastructure and a culture. Whether that means overhauling the medical staff, building up the team’s analytics department, or addressing any other holes that had been left unfilled in the past, Griffin prioritized building that sustainable infrastructure from day one.

Williamson will be the face of the franchise for years to come, but if Griffin’s work is successful, this could also be remembered as the summer that the Pelicans moved out from the Saints’ shadow and began building a winning culture of their own.

Key offseason losses:

The end of Davis’ tenure in New Orleans was ugly, but the impact of losing him can’t be overstated. It was just a year earlier that he showed the kind of impact he was capable of having on the organization when he helped lead the Pelicans to the second round of the postseason even after DeMarcus Cousins went down with a season-ending injury.

Davis, who has earned six consecutive All-Star berths and three All-NBA nods, was the Pelicans’ best offensive player and rebounder, as well as their defensive anchor. Replicating his production will be a tall order for any two of the players left in New Orleans’ frontcourt, let alone one.

The Pelicans took another hit up front with the loss of Julius Randle, who opted out of an option with New Orleans to sign a three-year contract with the Knicks. The former No. 7 overall pick enjoyed a career year in 2018/19, with 21.4 PPG and 8.7 RPG, though he has never been an elite defender.

Elfrid Payton will join Randle on the Knicks this season after a disappointing single season with the Pelicans in which he was limited to just 42 games due to injuries. Payton filled the box score when he played (10.6 PPG, 7.6 APG, and 5.2 RPG), but the club’s net rating was better when he sat than when he played.

Injury-plagued veteran Solomon Hill, end-of-season standout Christian Wood, young project Cheick Diallo, and rotation players Ian Clark and Stanley Johnson are among the other departing Pelicans.

Key offseason additions:

Unless something goes wrong, Williamson should ultimately be the most impactful addition of the offseason for the Pelicans. The club may handle Zion with kid gloves in his rookie season after some minor injury issues during the spring and summer, but given his immense talent and exceptional athleticism, he’s capable of having a major on-court impact right away.

The same probably can’t be said for the Pelicans’ other first-round picks. I wouldn’t expect Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Jaxson Hayes to play huge roles immediately – they may each spend some time with the team’s new G League affiliate in Erie – but their long-term potential is intriguing.

Speaking of intriguing, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball may no longer be viewed with the same kind of excitement as they were when they were drafted second overall in 2016 and 2017, respectively, but both players have flashed star potential and are still very young.

Staying healthy will be the top priority for Ingram and Ball. A change of scenery may do both of them good as well — on the Lakers, they were expected to turn the franchise around during its rebuilding years, then to help LeBron James transform the club into an overnight contender. In New Orleans, they’ll be out of the spotlight and overshadowed by Zion, which will take off some of the pressure.

Besides all their incoming young talent, the Pelicans made a couple key veteran additions this offseason, signing J.J. Redick in free agency and acquiring Derrick Favors in a trade. I like both moves a lot — Redick will provide much-needed floor spacing and takes on even more importance now that fellow sharpshooter Darius Miller will miss the season with a torn Achilles. Favors, meanwhile, was an awkward fit beside Rudy Gobert in Utah, but could thrive as New Orleans’ starting center.

Shooting guard Josh Hart, who also came over in the AD trade, and power forward Nicolo Melli, a European import, also join a new-look Pelicans roster and will have a chance to compete for regular rotation roles.

Outlook for 2019/20:

The Pelicans’ youth and lack of continuity may limit their ability to get off to a strong start and legitimately contend for the postseason. But this team shouldn’t be overlooked. Jrue Holiday is one of the NBA’s best two-way guards, Williamson can be an impact player immediately, and the roster features an intriguing mix of breakout candidates (Ingram and Ball) and reliable veteran role players (Redick and Favors).

Exceeding expectations and competing for a No. 8 seed is a possibility, but even if the Pelicans are firmly in the lottery, the team’s talented young prospects should give fans hope for a bright future, which wasn’t easy to envision down the stretch of the 2018/19 season.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lakers Notes: James, Davis, Dudley, Kuzma

September 27th, 2019 at 8:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James wants Anthony Davis to be the focal point of the Lakers offense, he told Josh Peter of USA Today and other media members during the team’s annual Media Day.

“If we’re not playing through Anthony Davis while he’s on the floor, then there’s no sense to having him on the floor,’’ James said.

Davis’ ability to draw double teams is an exciting proposition for James.

“When you’re able to attract two defenders on one guy, then you’ve got the numbers game. … It opens up for other guys on the floor, including myself,’’ he said.

We have more from the Lakers:

James gave a ringing endorsement to the front office headed up by Rob Pelinka and the work the group did this summer, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. “They focused on what they can do to make this franchise as competitive as they can be. They exceeded that. They did a hell of a job and I’m happy to be a Laker.”
James was hesitant about committing to playing for Team USA in next year’s Olympics, then said he would, Joe Vardon of The Athletic tweets. “Umm, I don’t know. I would love to,” LeBron said, adding that it will depend on his health at season’s end.
Davis shrugged off comments made by Pelicans executive VP David Griffin that were seemingly critical of him, according to an ESPN report. Griffin was quoted earlier this week as saying, “If sex appeal is your thing and you need a big market, OK. See you later.” Davis was asked for a response on ESPN’s The Jump. “That’s fine. I don’t care,” he said. “I mean like, the past is the past, you know? I didn’t hear that.”
Jared Dudley is intent on making Kyle Kuzma a well-rounded player, according to Mark Trudell of the team’s website. “My guy would be Kyle Kuzma. What can I do off the court to help him get to his full potential? He’s really the key for us,” Dudley said.

Pelicans Hire Teresa Weatherspoon, A.J. Diggs

September 26th, 2019 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have become the latest NBA franchise to add a female assistant coach to their ranks, announcing today in a press release that WNBA Hall-of-Famer Teresa Weatherspoon has joined the franchise as a player development coach.

According to the Pelicans, Weatherspoon and newly-hired coach A.J. Diggs will serve as two-way assistant coaches, working closely with the club’s two-way players and accompanying them as they go back and forth between the Pelicans and the Erie BayHawks. Currently, New Orleans’ two-way players are Josh Gray and Zylan Cheatham.

“I am thrilled to welcome and AJ and Teresa to our coaching staff here in New Orleans,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said in a statement. “As we continue to put an increased emphasis on player development, AJ and Teresa will play an integral role with our younger players and will be a huge asset to our players and staff both here in New Orleans and Erie.”

Weatherspoon is the second former WNBA star to be hired the Pelicans this offseason, joining Swin Cash, who was named the club’s VP of basketball operations and team development.

Pelicans Sign Jalen Adams, Javon Bess

September 24th, 2019 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have officially completed previously-reported deals with undrafted rookies Jalen Adams and Javon Bess, the club confirmed today. Both players are listed on New Orleans’ 20-man roster for training camp.

Adams, a point guard out of UConn, averaged 16.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.4 APG during his senior year, which was limited to 26 games due to a knee injury. The 6’3″ Adams, who started 99 of 124 career games with the Huskies, reached a contract agreement with the Pelicans right after the draft in June and appeared in five games for New Orleans’ Summer League squad in Las Vegas.

Bess, a 6’6″ swingman, began his college career at Michigan State before transferring to Saint Louis for his junior and senior years. In 2018/19, he posted 15.3 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 36 games (36.8 MPG). Like Adams, he quickly agreed to terms with New Orleans after the draft and suited up for the Pelicans’ Summer League team, though he averaged just 8.8 minutes per contest in five games in Las Vegas.

After signing Adams and Bess, the Pelicans have a full 20-man roster. The odd man out, based on prior reports, is Aubrey Dawkins — a June report suggested that Dawkins had agreed to terms with the Pelicans on an Exhibit 10 contract. Assuming the report was accurate at the time, the agreement either fell through or will be completed later this fall, after the Pels waive a player.

Pelicans Awarded Disabled Player Exception

September 24th, 2019 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has approved the Pelicans‘ request for a disabled player exception, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The exception, which was applied for in response to Darius Miller‘s torn Achilles, will be worth $3.625MM, half of Miller’s $7.25MM salary for 2019/20.

As we outline in our glossary entry on the disabled player exception, a team can apply for a DPE to replace a seriously injured player. In order for the exception to be granted, an NBA-designated physician must determine that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be sidelined through at least June 15 of that league year, so it sounds as if Miller is expected to miss all of 2019/20.

The Pelicans’ newly-generated disabled player exception doesn’t open up a 16th regular-season roster spot for the club, but gives New Orleans some extra cap flexibility to add a player. The exception – which has a March 10 deadline – can be used to to sign a free agent to a one-year deal or to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waivers, assuming his salary fits into the exception.

Since the Pelicans already used all their cap space and their room exception, the $3.625MM DPE could come in handy at the trade deadline or during buyout season. However, if the club isn’t in playoff contention, it’s possible it’ll simply go unused.

New Orleans would lose the DPE if Miller is traded before the exception is used.