New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Front Office, Borrego, Edey, No. 21 Pick

June 11th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have some holes to fill in their basketball operations department following a mini-exodus this spring, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. General manager Trajan Langdon left New Orleans to become the head of basketball operations in Detroit and he’ll be taking Michael Blackstone along with him, as reported on Monday. Blackstone was “heavily involved behind the scenes” as a Pelicans strategist and was close with executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin, per Clark.

In addition to those two executives who left to join the Pistons, the Pelicans also lost senior director of basketball operations Michael Hartman, who is joining the Wizards’ front office.

According to Clark, the Pelicans began conducting interviews last week with candidates who could replace those departed front office personnel men. League sources tell NOLA.com that those interviews are continuing this week, with the club focused on hiring someone who has “salary cap and strategy expertise.”

We have more on the Pelicans, via Clark:

There’s a “sense of resignation” within the organization that associate head coach James Borrego won’t be back on Willie Green‘s staff next season, says Clark. Borrego is considered a legitimate candidate for both the Lakers’ and Cavaliers’ head coaching openings, though he faces competition for each position. While Green is a more defensive-minded coach, Borrego was brought in for his offensive acumen, so if he departs, maintaining – and improving – the offense’s production going forward will be a priority.
Purdue center Zach Edey is among the players who will visit the Pelicans for a workout prior to the June 26 draft, notes Clark. With Jonas Valanciunas headed to free agency, New Orleans is in the market for help up front, though Edey may not be available by the time the team picks at No. 21 and probably wouldn’t be ready to step into a starting role.
If the Pelicans aren’t particularly high on any of the prospects available at No. 21, they may look to trade it for future draft assets, sources tell NOLA.com. According to Clark, New Orleans would have interest in restocking its second-round draft capital, since the team doesn’t currently control a second-rounder until 2030.

Pistons To Hire Michael Blackstone As Langdon’s Top Lieutenant

June 10th, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons are hiring Michael Blackstone as their executive VP of basketball operations, Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Blackstone will be the second in command under new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon. Blackstone has updated his social media bio, stating he now works for the Pistons organization.

Blackstone had worked with Langdon as the Pelicans’ VP of basketball administration since the 2020/21 season. He had been considered the favorite to land the job as Langdon’s right-hand man.

Sankofa confirms the Pistons are also hiring Nets director of player personnel J.R. Holden in an executive role.

Blackstone was an assistant GM in Atlanta before coming to New Orleans. He was also the executive director of basketball operations with the Cavaliers from 2010-13.

The Pistons parted ways with GM Troy Weaver at the beginning of the month. Weaver’s rebuilding project was a failure, as the Pistons finished with the worst record in the league this season.

Langdon and his assistant will have over $60MM in cap space this summer to make the team more competitive. The Pistons hold the No. 5 pick in the draft after falling in the lottery.

Central Notes: Pistons, Cavaliers, Borrego, Atkinson, Ham

June 10th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gary Trent Jr. could fit next to Cade Cunningham as a three-point threat and floor spacer. Naji Marshall could fit in as a three-and-D wing. Goga Bitadze could provide much needed rim protector. They are among a dozen under-the-radar free agents that might make sense for the Pistons, Omari Sankofa II writes for the Detroit Free Press. Detroit could have as much as $64MM in cap space as the team looks to rise from the bottom of the league.

We have more from the Central Division:

Adem Bona (UCLA), Ta’Lon Cooper (South Carolina), Tyler Thomas (Hofstra) and Kel’el Ware (Indiana) visited the Cavaliers on Monday in a pre-draft workout, Adam Zagoria tweets. Big men Ware and Bona are considered potential first-rounders. Ware is currently rated No. 24 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list while Bona is ranked at No. 37. The Cavaliers currently hold the No. 20 pick.
Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego, still a candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job, is expected to interview for the Cavaliers head coaching position early this week, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reports. Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson is also scheduled for a visit.
Speaking of the Cavaliers, they could have a very intriguing offseason if they decide to break up their backcourt duo of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell or their frontcourt pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Keith Smith delves into those topics, among others, in his offseason preview for Spotrac.
Darvin Ham’s return to the Bucks as an assistant makes a lot of sense, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. He’s well-respected by the team’s veterans and maintained his relationships with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. It’s also a good spot for him to restore his reputation with an eye on getting another head coaching job.

Potential Targets With No. 21 Pick

June 9th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

What players could the Pelicans target with the No. 21 pick? Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune explores that topic, naming a trio of guards — USC’s Isaiah Collier, Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter and Pittsburgh’s Carlton Carrington — who could entice them at that spot.

2024 NBA Draft Picks By Team

June 7th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs and Trail Blazers were among the winners on last month’s draft lottery day, with the results on May 12 ensuring that both teams would have a pair of lottery picks in 2024. San Antonio received Toronto’s top-six protected first-rounder when it dropped to No. 8, while Portland was assured of receiving Golden State’s top-four protected first-rounder when it remained at No. 14. Both clubs’ own picks are in the top seven.

Besides being the only NBA teams to control two lottery picks this year, San Antonio and Portland have something else in common — they’re the only two clubs that own more than three total 2024 draft picks. In addition to No. 4 and No. 8, the Spurs have Nos. 35 and 48, while Portland has a pair of early second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40) to go with its No. 7 and No. 14 picks.

Many of this year’s draft picks have changed hands at some point, with only 24 of 58 total selections held by their original owner, but they’re still a little more evenly distributed than usual. A year ago, 11 teams controlled three or more picks at this time, whereas this year only seven clubs hold more than two picks apiece.

In addition to those seven teams with three or more picks, 13 more clubs own a pair of draft selections, while another nine control one apiece. That leaves just a single NBA team without a draft pick this year: the Nets. Brooklyn traded both of its 2024 picks back in 2021, sending out its first-rounder in a package for James Harden and including its second-rounder later that year in a Sekou Doumbouya salary dump. The Nets could still trade into this draft, but for now they’re the only team on track to sit it out.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2024 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 58 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

San Antonio Spurs (4): 4, 8, 35, 48
Portland Trail Blazers (4): 7, 14, 34, 40
Washington Wizards (3): 2, 26, 51
Memphis Grizzlies (3): 9, 39, 57
Utah Jazz (3): 10, 29, 32
New York Knicks (3): 24, 25, 38
Indiana Pacers (3): 36, 49, 50

Teams with two picks:

Houston Rockets: 3, 44
Detroit Pistons: 5, 53
Charlotte Hornets: 6, 42
Sacramento Kings: 13, 45
Miami Heat: 15, 43
Philadelphia 76ers: 16, 41
Los Angeles Lakers: 17, 55
Orlando Magic: 18, 47
Toronto Raptors: 19, 31
Milwaukee Bucks: 23, 33
Minnesota Timberwolves: 27, 37
Denver Nuggets: 28, 56
Boston Celtics: 30, 54

Teams with one pick:

Atlanta Hawks: 1
Chicago Bulls: 11
Oklahoma City Thunder: 12
Cleveland Cavaliers: 20
New Orleans Pelicans: 21
Phoenix Suns: 22
Los Angeles Clippers: 46
Golden State Warriors: 52
Dallas Mavericks: 58

Teams with no picks:

Brooklyn Nets

And-Ones: Poland, Sochan, M. James, J. Porter, More

June 7th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Polish national team has formally announced a 17-man preliminary roster for next month’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain (hat tip to Eurohoops). Poland will be grouped with Finland and the Bahamas in that tournament and will vie with Angola, Lebanon, and Spain for the right to compete in the 12-team men’s basketball tournament at the Olympics in Paris.

Poland’s roster doesn’t feature much NBA talent, but there is one player currently active in the league: Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan was named to the 17-man squad, which will be trimmed to 12 players for the qualifying tournament Sochan previously won a gold medal with Poland at an under-16 championship in 2019 and also represented the country at the EuroBasket 2022 qualifiers.

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

On the heels of being named this season’s EuroLeague MVP, former NBA guard Mike James appears to be on the verge of signing a contract extension with AS Monaco. As Johnny Askounis relays for Eurohoops, a report from Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of BeBasket indicates that James and Monaco are set to complete a three-year deal that will increase the guard’s annual salary to three million Euros per season.
A total of four men have now been charged by federal prosecutors in the sports betting scandal related to Jontay Porter‘s lifetime ban from the NBA, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press. The defendants are being accused of profiting from prop bets based on the knowledge that Porter would exit a pair of games early. The complaint also alleges that Porter – who isn’t identified by name but fits the description of the player described – was supposed to receive a portion of the winnings.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks of ESPN identifies five teams who may not receive as much attention this summer as high-profile franchise like the Lakers and Sixers, but who could have eventful and important offseason ahead of them. Marks’ picks? The Bulls, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Pelicans, and Spurs.
With the Lakers reportedly in pursuit of UConn head coach Dan Hurley, Alex Andrejev of The Athletic considers the history of accomplished college coaches making the leap to the NBA and evaluates how several of the most notable names – including Billy Donovan, Larry Brown, and Rick Pitino – fared at the professional level.

Stein’s Latest: Lakers’ Coaching Search, Nembhard, Siakam, Mitchell

June 5th, 2024 at 8:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

J.J. Redick and James Borrego have emerged as the top two names in the Lakers‘ coaching search, but there’s increased speculation about Monty Williams if the Pistons let him go, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required). Detroit is going through an organizational shakeup after Trajan Langdon took over as head of basketball operations, and it’s possible that Williams could be replaced along with general manager Troy Weaver, even though Williams still has five years remaining on the $78MM contract he signed last summer.

Stein points out that the Lakers have pursued Williams before. Prior to hiring Frank Vogel in 2019, L.A. first reached out to Tyronn Lue, then turned to Williams after negotiations with Lue fell apart. Williams chose an offer from the Suns over the Lakers.

Signs still point to Redick as the favorite to be the next head coach, with the Lakers hoping to add Borrego as an assistant. However, Stein hears skepticism around the league that the Pelicans would agree to release their associate head coach from his contract for a lateral move.

There could be a small source of conflict if Redick is the selection, Stein adds, noting that Redick, who’s an awards voter due to his role as a broadcaster with ESPN, didn’t put Anthony Davis on his ballot for first or second team All-Defense honors. Davis finished fourth in the DPOY voting.

Stein shares more inside information from around the league:

The Pacers‘ Andrew Nembhard raised his value with a stellar postseason performance and some teams are now convinced that he can be a successful lead guard, sources tell Stein. That could eventually result in offers greater than what Indiana can give him in an extension this summer. Nembhard is only owed $2MM next season, so a four-year extension that replaces his 2025/26 team option would be worth about $75MM. Without an extension, the Pacers could make Nembhard a restricted free agent next summer by turning down their option for ’25/26 and issuing a qualifying offer. That would allow them to match any offer he gets on the open market.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam is still considering whether to represent Cameroon in an Olympic qualifying tournament next month, Stein adds. One complication is that Siakam is expected to verbally commit to a new contract with Indiana before the start of free agency on June 30. However, the moratorium prevents that deal from being finalized until July 6, which is after the start of the international competition. Siakam may be reluctant to risk injury before his new deal is official.
A source tells Stein that the Cavaliers have reasons to be optimistic about their chances of an offseason extension with Donovan Mitchell. There has been repeated speculation that Mitchell might be moved this summer if he doesn’t make a long-term commitment.

Western Notes: Wolves, Towns, Lakers, Redick, Ingram, G. Allen

June 4th, 2024 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Discussing the Timberwolves‘ ownership situation during the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said there’s a perception around the league that if Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore assume majority control of the franchise, “payroll’s getting slashed.” However, his colleague Brian Windhorst disagrees with that notion.

“Let me just say this: I don’t believe it’s going to get slashed,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “I believe if (A-Rod and Lore) get the team by the fall, which I am skeptical of for various reasons, but if they get the team by the fall, I don’t think they’re cracking this team in pieces to save money. I think because one thing about the team, they have instantaneous equity, they can borrow it against it like that.”

While Windhorst doesn’t expect payroll to decline drastically if Rodriguez and Lore take over majority control from longtime owner Glen Taylor, he does think the new owners may not be attached to Karl-Anthony Towns as Taylor has been to this point.

“I do not think they would tear the team apart. However, I do think that there’s a possibility if the ownership change took place that Karl Towns’ role would be reevaluated,” Windhorst said.

After MacMahon stated more frankly that Towns would likely find himself “on the trade block” in that scenario, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps pointed out that exploring trade scenarios involving the big man doesn’t necessarily mean he’d be moved, since his super-max contract, which includes a $49MM+ cap hit for 2024/25, will make it difficult for Minnesota to find a suitable deal.

“(That’s) why I believe he’s not going anywhere,” Windhorst said. “Because trading him and getting equal return is going to be next to impossible.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

In another segment of the Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst suggested that the Lakers have been sending the message that they’re still early in the process of their head coaching search, but that the noise surrounding J.J. Redick‘s candidacy has been loud. “I have some people saying, ‘This is J.J. Redick’s job’ that I trust,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “I have some people saying this is a process that is not complete. I suspect I know something, but I am just going to tell you that there’s multiple streams of information. James Borrego has had multiple meetings with the Lakers. I do think that he is a viable candidate for sure, but I think J.J. Redick is a very strong candidate. And he also is calling the (NBA) Finals for our network on ABC and ESPN. So it is what it is.”
While there’s a widespread belief that the Pelicans will gauge the trade market for Brandon Ingram this summer, William Guillory of The Athletic makes the case that keeping the former All-Star forward is the right move for New Orleans, arguing that it would be hard to find a deal involving Ingram that makes the team better than the 49-win version from this past season.
Having signed a contract extension in April, veteran wing Grayson Allen won’t become trade-eligible until October. But what sort of deal could the Suns make if they were willing to part with Allen in the fall or at next year’s trade deadline? Gerald Bouguet of PHNX Sports attempts to answer that question, generating 15 potential trade scenarios involving Allen.

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Pelicans, Topic, Clingan

June 1st, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

If the Pelicans decide to trade Brandon Ingram, they need to get a play-making guard in return, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Clark points out that Ingram has led the team in assists the past two years, including 5.7 in 64 games this season. With no clear choice to set up the offense, Clark believes New Orleans will have to insist on a creator in any Ingram deal.

Zion Williamson has helped in that area, but Clark notes that his susceptibility to injury — and the inability of the Pelicans’ offense to function without him — makes it too risky to not have a strong lead guard. The offense was among the NBA’s worst after Williamson’s hamstring injury last season, Clark adds, and his absence in this year’s playoffs left the team unable to top 92 points in any game while being swept in the first round.

The Pelicans had trade talks with the Hawks and Cavaliers before the February deadline, according to Clark, who expects negotiations to resume this summer. There are rumors that Atlanta wants to break up its Trae Young–Dejounte Murray backcourt, while Cleveland might be open to parting with Darius Garland if Donovan Mitchell agrees to an extension. Any of those players could be the basis for an Ingram deal.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

In a separate story, Clark examines the possibility that the Pelicans will take a center in this year’s draft. New Orleans will have the 21st selection after deferring a pick from the Lakers until next year. Clark views Baylor’s Yves Missi, Indiana’s Kel’el Ware and Dayton’s DaRon Holmes as viable big man options at that stage of the draft.
Nikola Topic could be the ideal point guard to team with Victor Wembanyama, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News states in a Spurs draft preview. Topic is considered the best passer in the draft, especially out of the pick and roll, and at 6’6″ he would bring some needed size to San Antonio’s backcourt. On the downside, he has never shot better than 30% from three-point range in a season and has hurt his right knee twice since January. If the Spurs opt for Topic with the fourth pick, McDonald expects them to target a shooter at No. 8.
Michael Shapiro of The Houston Chronicle looks at how Donovan Clingan might fit alongside Alperen Sengun if the Rockets take the Connecticut center with the third pick. Clingan would bring a much stronger defensive presence in the middle, but there are questions about whether he or Sengun can ever space the floor well enough to make the pairing work.

Pistons Notes: Front Office Candidates, Weaver, Buzelis

June 1st, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Michael Blackstone, an executive who worked with new Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon in New Orleans, is considered the favorite to become Langdon’s second-in-command in Detroit, sources tell James L. Edwards and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Blackstone, the Pelicans‘ vice president of basketball administration, was an assistant general manager in Atlanta before coming to New Orleans in 2020.

Other prominent names to watch, according to the authors’ sources, are Matt Lloyd, senior vice president of basketball operations with the Timberwolves; Travis Schlenk, the Wizards‘ vice president of player personnel and former team president in Atlanta; Brock Aller, the Knicks‘ vice president of basketball and strategic planning; and Tayshaun Prince, vice president of basketball affairs with the Grizzlies. The authors note that Prince is a sentimental favorite among fans because he was a starter on Detroit’s last championship team in 2004.

There’s an opening in the front office after the Pistons parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver in what the team described as a mutual decision. Weaver, who served as GM for the past four years, lost decision-making authority with the addition of Langdon.

There’s more from Detroit:

Poor draft decisions marked the biggest mistake Weaver made during his time running the organization, contends Andrew Birkle of The Detroit Free Press. Birkle acknowledges that seven of Weaver’s eight first-round picks look like they’ll have a future in the NBA, but he views them as a mismatched collection of talent that doesn’t fit together. He also questions whether the team has any potential stars other than Cade Cunningham, adding that it’s too early to fully evaluate the No. 1 overall pick in 2021 because he’s missed so much time due to injuries.
Shooting and rim protection are the most important assets in the NBA, and Weaver failed to provide the Pistons with either of those things, observes Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Windsor adds that everyone should be considered expendable after a 68-loss season, starting with head coach Monty Williams, who will be Langdon’s next major decision before addressing the roster.
Keith Langlois of NBA.com examines Matas Buzelis as a potential pick for the Pistons at No. 5 in this year’s draft. Although the G League Ignite had a disastrous season, Buzelis showed promise with 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. Langlois notes that his 6’10” size, floor-spacing and play-making ability, and his versatility on defense make Buzelis a good fit with the rest of the roster.