New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans’ Trade Exception Set To Expire

September 3rd, 2018 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

A Pelicans traded player exception created in last September’s Quincy Pondexter trade with the Bulls is set to expire if it’s not used by the end of the day on Tuesday. The exception, which is worth $3,853,931, was created last September 1.

As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, traded player exceptions can be used to acquire one or more players whose salaries fits within the amount of the exception (plus $100K). Using their TPE, the over-the-cap Pelicans wouldn’t have to send out any salary if they were to acquire a player earning up to nearly $4MM.

While traded player exceptions generally expire exactly one year after they’re created, they can’t expire on a weekend or holiday, so New Orleans will get a few extra days for this one due to Labor Day weekend.

The Pelicans’ trade exception, the largest of four held by the team, isn’t massive and isn’t likely to be used at the last minute this week. Still, it’s worth mentioning because the Pels don’t have many pathways – besides the minimum salary exception – to add more players to their roster. The team used its mid-level exception on Julius Randle and its bi-annual exception on Elfrid Payton.

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New Orleans Pelicans

Southwest Notes: Doncic, Ginobili, Bluiett, Grizzlies

September 2nd, 2018 at 3:01pm CST by marksuleymanov

The third overall pick from the 2018 NBA Draft, Luka Doncic, will not be part of the Slovenian national team for September’s FIBA World Cup qualifiers, per a Sportando report. Instead, he will remain in the United States to prepare for the upcoming NBA season, Doncic confirmed with a tweet.

Doncic, 19, was drafted by the Hawks with the third pick in the draft but was immediately traded to the Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Trae Young and a 2019 first-round pick. Given his past success internationally, it was possible that Doncic would have suited up for the Slovenian team before the NBA season started.

With Real Madrid this past season, Doncic racked up several major awards. He became the youngest player to win the EuroLeague Final Four Most Valuable Player award in addition to being named the EuroLeague MVP and Rising Star.

Check out more Southwest Division notes below:

In an in-depth look at the recently retired Manu Ginobili, Gilbert Garcia of the San Antonio Express-News looked at how his presence around the organization made everyone appreciate him. After 16 seasons with the Spurs, the Argentina product announced he will retire instead of pursuing a 17th season.
Trevon Bluiett impressed at Summer League, which paved the way for him to ink a two-way contract with the Pelicans. As Scott Kushner of The Advocate writes, Bluiett is excited about the opportunity and is ready to prove himself. “All I know is that it’s a foot in the door,” Bluiett said. “I don’t look at it as, I signed a two-way so I’m good and everything is done. It’s just a foot in the door to get to my ideal goal.”
The Grizzlies finalized their basketball operations department, the team announced in a press release.

And-Ones: Mayo, G. Davis, O’Bryant, DeRozan

September 2nd, 2018 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

With training camps set to open later this month, time is running short for O.J. Mayo if he wants to get reinstated before the new season starts, writes Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders. Mayo hasn’t played in the NBA since fracturing his right ankle in March of 2016. A few months later, he was banned for two years for a second violation of the league’s Anti-Drug Program.

Mayo is now eligible for reinstatement and is reportedly searching for an opportunity. He played 21 games this summer with a team in Puerto Rico and impressed scouts with his performance. He was released in June, possibly because of his desire to join an NBA team.

The league and the players association would both have to sign off on Mayo’s return before he can be reinstated. He also has to prove that he has gone more than a year without a failed drug test. Milwaukee renounced his rights after the suspension, so Mayo will be an unrestricted free agent if he does return to the NBA.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

Fresh off winning a BIG3 title, Glen Davis is exploring his overseas options, relays Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Davis played eight years with the Celtics, Magic and Clippers, but hasn’t been in the league since the 2014/15 season.
Health concerns may derail a contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv for Johnny O’Bryant, tweets Roi Cohen of Sport 5 in Israel. A physical revealed a potential heart problem for the power forward, and the team is waiting for the results of cardiac tests before making a decision. O’Bryant spent part of last season with the Hornets, averaging 4.8 points in 36 games. He was shipped to the Knicks at the trade deadline in exchange for Willy Hernangomez, then was waived the next day. O’Bryant also played for the Bucks and Nuggets in a four-year NBA career.
After an offseason trade to the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan is the player most likely to have a disappointing season, according to Drew Moresca of Basketball Insiders. DeRozan will miss the chemistry he had with Kyle Lowry in Toronto, Moresca writes, and the advantages of playing alongside a top flight point guard. San Antonio also has fewer above-average 3-point shooters than the Raptors did, so DeRozan may find a more difficult path to drive to the basket. Moresca tabs the Heat as the team most likely to decline, with the Pelicans as runners-up.

Jahlil Okafor Talks Joining Pelicans, Improving Defense

September 1st, 2018 at 12:01pm CST by marksuleymanov

Jahlil Okafor‘s latest NBA opportunity with be with the Pelicans. He signed a two-year deal with New Orleans early in August after a frustrating season in which he saw limited playing time for two organizations with the Sixers and Nets.

Speaking to C.J. McCollum on his Pull Up with CJ McCollum podcast, Okafor expressed excitement for his new opportunity with the franchise. The former third overall pick addressed the weaknesses in his game and what he has done to address them (via The Bird Writes).

“The knock on me has always been my defense and my rebounding,” Okafor said. “I let the coaches know that I’m aware of that, and obviously they’re aware of that. They know that I’m 150% bought into doing whatever it takes to win. I think I’ve taken the necessary steps this summer just to become a better defender, a better rebounder — just because I’m moving better and I’m doing all of the right stuff. I’m really excited about it.”

In just 28 games last season, Okafor averaged just 6.3 PPG and 3.0 RPG with Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Okafor showed an improved physique this offseason as he prepares to join his third team in two seasons. Given the Pelicans’ strong core of talent, led by fellow Chicago native and superstar Anthony Davis, Okafor is excited for what the team can accomplish.

“With the Pelicans in particular, I’m going to a team with aspirations of winning a championship, and that the whole organization and atmosphere is all about winning,” he said. “That’s not something I’ve been accustomed to since I’ve been in the NBA; it’s sort of been the opposite.”

Pelicans Waive Swingman DeAndre Liggins

August 31st, 2018 at 4:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans have waived swingman DeAndre Liggins, according to a team press release.

The 6’6” Liggins appeared in 27 games, including three starts, for New Orleans last season after being originally signed on January 10. He averaged 1.6 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 9.0 MPG.

The Pelicans save a little money by cutting Liggins loose, as he was due to receive $75K if he remained on the roster at the beginning of September. Liggins was due to make $1.8MM if he had remained on the roster through January 10.

Liggins played on a pair of 10-day contract with New Orleans then was signed to a two-year deal on February 4. He also appeared in 31 games with the Bucks last season, then was waived in early January before the Pelicans snapped him up.

Liggins has also worn five other uniforms in NBA regular-season games. He started his career with the Magic in 2011/12, then moved on to the Thunder, Heat, Cavaliers and Mavericks. He’s appeared in 177 games but has just a 2.0 PPG average while shooting 35.2% on 3-point tries.

The Pelicans still have eight other players at the wing spots and five players with partial or non-guaranteed contracts.

Few Early NBA Salary Guarantee Dates This Fall

August 31st, 2018 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the summer, NBA teams faced a number of decisions on whether to keep a player and guarantee his salary or waive him and avoid that extra cost. In total, nearly 50 players had some sort of guarantee deadline on their contracts in June, July, and August.

Typically, that pattern continues to some extent in the fall. All NBA contracts for a given year become guaranteed on January 10 (not counting 10-day deals), but several contracts include trigger dates that come before the new year, most frequently around the start of the regular season.

A player with a mid-October salary guarantee date in his contract receives a sizable bonus if he makes his club’s regular season roster, perhaps even having his entire salary guaranteed. If he doesn’t earn a spot on his team’s 15-man squad, he’s waived without getting that guarantee, but has the opportunity to seek a new job elsewhere.

For the 2018/19 league year though, fall salary guarantee dates are scarce. While there are plenty of players on non-guaranteed contracts around the NBA, virtually all of those contracts will remain non-guaranteed until January 10.

According to data from Basketball Insiders and ESPN, the Knicks are one of the few teams carrying players with salary trigger dates this fall. Trey Burke, whose deal is currently partially guaranteed for $100K, will have that partial guarantee bumped to $400K if he remains under contract for the first game of the regular season. Noah Vonleh, on a non-guaranteed contract for now, will receive a $100K partial guarantee if he’s not waived by September 25.

Outside of those two dates, September 1 represents the other deadline of note for salary guarantees. The Thunder and Abdel Nader reportedly agreed to push his guarantee deadline from August 1 to September 1, so Nader – who currently has a $450K partial guarantee – should be in line for a fully guaranteed salary if he’s not waived by Saturday.

Elsewhere, there’s some conflicting info on a pair of Pelicans players. Emeka Okafor and DeAndre Liggins have $100K and $75K partial guarantees, respectively, according to Basketball Insiders. However, ESPN’s Bobby Marks indicated this week (via Twitter) that those partial guarantees won’t actually lock in until after September 1. If Okafor remains under contract through October 16, his guarantee would increase to $200K, per Basketball Insiders.

Salary details are still trickling in for some recent signees, and it’s possible that a few more free agent deals between now and the start of the season will feature trigger dates. For now though, there aren’t many salary guarantee deadlines worth keeping an eye on this fall.

Holiday Discusses Upcoming Season

August 29th, 2018 at 8:34pm CST by clarkcrum

The Pelicans caught up with starting point guard Jrue Holiday to discuss the team’s 2017/18 playoff run, the team’s acquisitions like Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton, his off-season preparation, and what he expects for this upcoming season.

Lawson, Wallace Work Out For Pelicans

August 24th, 2018 at 7:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Point guard Ty Lawson and shooting guard Tyrone Wallace worked out for the Pelicans this week, Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype tweets.

New Orleans already has a fairly crowded roster with 12 players on guaranteed contracts and six others with partially- or non-guaranteed deals.

Lawson spent most of the 2017/18 season in China playing for the Shandong Golden Stars. In 46 Chinese League contests, he averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, and 2.2 SPG, shooting 40.1% on 3-point attempts.

He then signed with the Wizards on the last day of the regular season, making him eligible for the postseason. He appeared in five playoff games this spring, averaging 5.8 PPG and 3.0 APG in 19.2 MPG.

New Orleans has Jrue Holiday, Elfrid Payton and Frank Jackson as point guard options, though Jackson has yet to appear in an NBA game due to injuries.

Wallace, 24, appeared in 30 games, including 19 starts, for the Clippers on a two-way contract last season. He averaged 9.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 2.4 APG in 28.4 MPG. He’s a restricted free agent, since the Clippers extended a qualifying offer to him in late June.

The Pelicans have numerous shooting guards on the roster, including E’Twaun Moore, Ian Clark, Kenrich Williams and two-way player Trevon Bluiett.

This Season May Be Crucial To Keeping Anthony Davis

August 22nd, 2018 at 6:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

After making it back to the playoffs last year, the Pelicans are about to enter a crucial season for the future of the franchise, writes Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate. The organization may need a strong follow-up to its second-round ouster to ensure a long-term future with star big man Anthony Davis.

Although Davis has said repeatedly that he enjoys playing in New Orleans, he may not be convinced that the Pelicans will be an annual contender. There was a bit of a roster upheaval over the summer as the team lost DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo in free agency and found younger replacements in Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton.

Cavaliers’ Trade Exception Set To Expire

August 21st, 2018 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

A Cavaliers traded player exception created in last August’s Kyrie Irving trade with the Celtics is set to expire if it’s not used by the end of the day on Wednesday. The exception, which is worth $3,051,019, was created last August 22.

As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, traded player exceptions can be used to acquire one or more players whose salaries fits within the amount of the exception (plus $100K). Using their TPE, the over-the-cap Cavaliers wouldn’t have to send out any salary if they were to acquire a player earning $3MM.

The Cavs have actually already made use of their Irving trade exception, which was initially worth over $5.8MM. When Cleveland acquired Sam Dekker from the Clippers earlier this offseason, the club didn’t send any salary to L.A. in the deal, taking on Dekker’s $2.76MM salary using a part of that TPE. So even if the Cavs let the rest of the exception expire, they’ve already been able to take advantage of it.

The Cavaliers’ traded player exception is the first of a handful of modest TPEs around the NBA which are set to expire before the 2018/19 regular season gets underway. Here are the rest:

September 3: New Orleans Pelicans ($3,853,931)
September 24: Memphis Grizzlies ($2,077,360)
September 25: Los Angeles Clippers ($1,577,230)
September 25: New York Knicks ($2,381,964)
October 15: Cleveland Cavaliers ($2,500,000)
October 15: Cleveland Cavaliers ($1,312,611)

The complete list of available traded player exceptions can be found right here.