New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Williamson, Ingram, Alvarado, Lewis

July 27th, 2023 at 11:03pm CST by Rory Maher

William Guillory and John Hollinger of The Athletic take stock of where things stand for the Pelicans entering 2023/24, with both writers noting that it will be a critical season for the organization.

New Orleans doesn’t have much choice but to see whether or not a core of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram can be successful together, according to Hollinger, despite the duo only playing 12 games together over the past two seasons. However, he would seriously consider trading one of them next summer if the team has another disappointing season.

As Guillory points out, the Pelicans will be facing salary cap difficulties in both the short and long term, so the pressure entering ’23/24 will be much higher than in previous years. Finding a replacement at center for Jonas Valanciunas, who is entering the final year of his contract, should be a priority going forward if the team doesn’t plan to retain him, according to both authors.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Technology company Ankr PBC has filed a civil lawsuit against Williamson, his stepfather and his mother, writes Brett Martel of The Associated Press. The lawsuit alleges Williamson and his family failed to pay back $1.8MM of a $2MM loan. Ankr had hoped Williamson would be a spokesperson for the company, with his stepfather, Lee Anderson, serving as his representative during negotiations, per Martel. Anderson is the person who requested the loan a couple years ago, the lawsuit states.
Jose Alvarado is still recovering from the stress reaction in his right tibia, which he sustained in February, and the injury will prevent him from representing Puerto Rico during the upcoming World Cup, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Pelicans sources tell Lopez that the move is precautionary, but it certainly seems somewhat problematic that a recent MRI indicated Alvarado’s tibia isn’t fully healed after five months. The point guard’s minimum-salary contract for 2023/24 is fully non-guaranteed, as we noted earlier today. That’s not to say he’s in any danger of being released — prior to going down with the leg injury, he was a regular part of the Pelicans’ rotation, averaging 9.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 21.5 minutes per night (61 games).
Former lottery pick Kira Lewis remains a trade candidate worth monitoring, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who notes that dumping Lewis’ salary would take New Orleans out of luxury tax territory. The 22-year-old returned from a torn ACL last season, averaging 4.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in limited action (9.4 minutes per night in 25 games).

Herbert Jones, Jalen Duren Invited To USA Select Team

July 24th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Rory Maher

USA Basketball’s Select Team is rounding into form, with Pelicans wing Herbert Jones and Pistons big man Jalen Duren the latest young players invited to join the roster, according to separate reports from Marc Stein (Twitter link) and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (via Twitter).

The Select Team, which also features Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Keegan Murray, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Naz Reid, Trey Murphy, Quentin Grimes and Payton Pritchard, is now up to 11 players.

The primary purpose of the Select Team is to practice and scrimmage against the main Team USA roster as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup, which starts at the end of August. Training camp starts next week in Las Vegas.

However, it’s also an opportunity for the Select players to showcase their talent while being considered for future international competitions. It’s possible a player or two on the Select Team could be used as an injury replacement for someone on Team USA as well. For example, Keldon Johnson, who was a Select Team member ahead of the Tokyo Olympics a couple years ago, replaced Bradley Beal when the star guard contracted COVID-19.

Jones, 24, just completed his second season with New Orleans. The defensive standout recently signed a four-year, $54MM contract as a restricted free agent to stay with the Pelicans.

Duren, 19, was a lottery pick last year. He had an impressive rookie season in 2022/23, averaging 9.1 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 67 games for Detroit (24.9 MPG) en route to a berth on the All-Rookie Second Team.

Will This Be The Season The Pelicans Pay The Luxury Tax?

July 22nd, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

The upcoming season will provide a good test of whether the Pelicans are willing to pay the luxury tax, writes Christian Clark of NOLA. New Orleans is currently about $3MM over the tax line after moving E.J. Liddell from a two-way contract to a standard roster spot. If the Pelicans remain at that figure when the tax is calculated after the end of the regular season, they will pay a $4.4MM penalty and won’t be able to share in the leaguewide distribution for non-taxpaying teams. New Orleans and 20 other clubs each received $17.3MM this summer. Sources told Clark that they believe owner Gayle Benson will eventually be willing to pay the tax, but they’re skeptical that she’ll do it this season with the Pelicans coming off a non-playoff year.

Reid, Murphy, Grimes, Pritchard Joining USA Select Team

July 21st, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Timberwolves big man Naz Reid, Pelicans forward Trey Murphy, Knicks guard Quentin Grimes, and Celtics guard Payton Pritchard are among the young players joining the USA Select Team in a couple weeks to practice and scrimmage against the main Team USA roster ahead of the FIBA World Cup.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski reported that Pritchard, Murphy and Reid would attend the American team’s training camp (Twitter links), while Shams Charania of The Athletic reported (via Twitter) Grimes would be present.

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren of the Thunder, Rockets guard Jalen Green, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and Kings forward Keegan Murray will also be part of the Select Team, as The Athletic reported on Thursday.

Reid, who signed a three-year, $42MM extension at the end of June to remain with Minnesota, averaged career bests of 11.5 PPG and 4.9 RPG last season. Murphy had a breakout second season in 2022/23, averaging 14.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 1.1 SPG on a stellar .484/.406/.905 shooting line.

Grimes started the majority of ’22/23 for New York, averaging 11.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.1 APG on .468/.386/.796 shooting while playing solid defense. Pritchard had the most modest role of the four new players reportedly joining the Select Team, averaging 5.6 PPG on .412/.364/.750 shooting in 13.4 MPG last season.

It’s possible a player or two on the Select Team could be used as an injury replacement for someone on Team USA’s 12-man roster. For example, Keldon Johnson, who was a Select Team member ahead of the Tokyo Olympics a couple years ago, replaced Bradley Beal when the star guard contracted COVID-19.

The Americans will start training camp for the World Cup on August 3 in Las Vegas, with their first game scheduled later that month in the Philippines.

Scotto’s Latest: Tucker, Gay, Sumner, Noel

July 21st, 2023 at 10:28am CST by Tristan Tucker

With James Harden‘s trade request still unresolved, teams are monitoring the future of his Sixers teammate P.J. Tucker. According to a report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Tucker has come up in trade discussions between the 76ers and the Clippers, Harden’s reported preferred destination. The Clippers “covet” Tucker’s ability to guard multiple positions, according to Scotto.

Tucker, a teammate of Harden’s on the Rockets from 2017-21, joined the 76ers last summer on a three-year, $33MM deal to reunite with Harden and former Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. Harden and Tucker are close, with Harden reportedly taking less money last offseason to help bring Tucker aboard one of the Eastern Conference’s top contenders.

Tucker, a 12-year NBA veteran, is owed $11MM this upcoming season and has a player option worth $11.5MM for the 2024/25 season. At 38 years old, Tucker is one of the oldest active players in the NBA but he hasn’t shown any mileage yet, starting in all 75 of his appearances last season and averaging 25.6 minutes.

There’s more from Scotto:

Free agent forward Rudy Gay, who was recently released by the Thunder, is drawing interest from several potential playoff teams, according to Scotto. The Warriors, Lakers, Mavericks, Bulls and Pelicans have all registered interest in Gay, per Scotto. Gay will be 37 by the time next season starts and while his role has diminished in each of the past three seasons, he’s still a seasoned veteran with 17 years of NBA experience. Gay averaged 5.2 points last season. Each team linked to Gay has at least one roster spot open and could offer him a one-year, veteran’s minimum which, for a player with 10+ years of experience, is worth roughly $3.2MM next season.
Free agent guard Edmond Sumner, who was recently let go by the Nets, is also drawing attention from multiple teams, according to Scotto. The Hornets, Bucks, Raptors, Heat and Suns all have registered interest in the 27 year old. Scotto says that some of the named teams appear more likely than others to pursue a deal with Sumner. The Bucks have one roster spot open and no true point guard behind Jrue Holiday, but those around the league expect Milwaukee’s final spot to go to Thanasis Antetokounmpo, according to Scotto. The Suns also just filled their final standard roster spot with Bol Bol, so they would have to create space elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Heat are reportedly in a holding pattern amid Damian Lillard trade talks. On the other hand, the Hornets are searching for veteran point guard help and the Raptors lack point guard depth behind new addition Dennis Schröder.
Before agreeing to a one-year deal with the Kings, center Nerlens Noel drew exploratory interest from the Lakers and Bulls, according to Scotto. The Lakers’ interest, in particular, is noteworthy due to their reported desire to add frontcourt depth to their roster. Free agent big men Christian Wood and Bismack Biyombo have also recently been linked to the Lakers.

Atlantic Notes: Harden, Jokubaitis, Udofia, Andrade, Scrubb

July 17th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A rift between James Harden and Sixers management stems from a disagreement over how his free agency was handled this summer, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. While Harden and his reps don’t appear to have any ill will toward his teammates, the rift with management could get even uglier.

The relationship between Harden and top executive Daryl Morey is “essentially fractured,” Shams Charania said on The Rally (Twitter link). Harden believes Philadelphia never had any intention to give him a long-term offer. Harden turned down a $47MM+ player option and took a $14MM+ pay cut last summer to help the Sixers make roster moves.

In terms of moving Harden, the front office is holding out for a package that will allow the Sixers to remain a serious contender in the East, according to Neubeck. If they can’t get a top player in return, they at least want to pick up enough assets to execute a separate trade for another high-level player.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Rokas Jokubaitis, a Lithuanian guard whose rights are held by the Knicks, had the option on his contract picked up by FC Barcelona, according to BasketNews.com. He played all 39 games in the EuroLeague last season and averaged 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. The Knicks made Jokubaitis a draft-and-stash second-round pick in 2021.
The G League’s Long Island Nets are hiring Mfon Udofia as the team’s head coach, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Udofia previously coached with the Nigerian National Team and was on the staff of the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers last season.
Former WNBA player Mery Andrade is spending the summer as a Celtics coaching intern and hopes to work her way up the NBA coaching ranks, she told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. She has been an assistant coach with Birmingham, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, for the last four seasons. “I want after my career as a coach that people, when they talk about me, is how many lives I touched, how good of a coach I was without putting the label ‘woman,’” she said. “Yes I am a woman but I don’t say, ‘You are a really good male coach.’ You are just a really good coach. That’s my goal, to touch as many lives as I can.”
Jay Scrubb, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics on Saturday, received the top grade in The Athletic’s Jared Weiss’ Summer League report card.

Griffin: No Zion Trade Discussed

July 16th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans VP of basketball operations David Griffin claims his team never discussed a Zion Williamson trade this offseason. “We never had a single (trade) conversation that Zion was part of,” Griffin said on a SiriusXM NBA Radio interview (hat tip to RealGM). Griffin also said there’s no disconnect between Williamson and the franchise. “I would say that it’s as good as it’s ever been,” Griffin said of Williamson’s relationship with the team.

Zion Williamson Offers Hope With Message Of Responsibility

July 15th, 2023 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Zion Williamson‘s statements about accountability during a recent podcast appearance with Gilbert Arenas are an encouraging sign for the Pelicans, observes Rod Walker of NOLA. He notes that Williamson is only 23 and still has time to establish himself as a reliable player.

Griffin Talks Zion, Pelicans

July 14th, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Top Pelicans executive David Griffin is hopeful Zion Williamson is on the right track this summer after being plagued with injuries over his first four seasons, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I think first of all he’s trying to do the right things,” Griffin said. “I think when you start from that place, that’s good. He’s got incredible potential to be sort of game-changing for even the league as a whole. But at the same time the volatility around the injury situation has been really severe. So at this point it’s going to be a function of how can we get him in the best place to succeed, and what’s he willing to do to ensure that happens? And I think right now his head’s in the right place, and we’ll just have to hope for the best.” Griffin also discussed the team’s offseason moves, among other topics.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Daniels, Sullivan, Wright

July 13th, 2023 at 2:31pm CST by Rory Maher

In a surprise appearance on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast (YouTube link), Pelicans forward Zion Williamson admitted he’s struggled to this point with the discipline required for healthy eating habits, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN.com relays.

“It’s hard, man,” Williamson said. “I’m 20, 22, have all the money in the world — well, it feels like all the money in the world. It’s hard.

“I’m at that point now, because of certain things, I’m putting back the wisdom around me. I don’t want to say older because they get defensive, but I’m putting people around me with wisdom. Put me on game to certain things. And just go from there.”

The former first overall pick has been limited to 114 games over his four NBA seasons due to a variety of injuries. Williamson, whose five-year rookie scale max extension starts in 2023/24, acknowledges he has to make changes going forward.

“Like (former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski) taught me, I have to own up to my responsibilities,” Williamson said. “There are a lot of things I could have done better. I didn’t. I’m in the process of fixing those wrongs.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

The Pelicans are focused on expanding Dyson Daniels‘ offensive repertoire as he enters his second season, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “It’s important to feature Dyson and expand (him) in his role,” Pelicans coach Casey Hill said before Summer League play started. “That’s what you’re going to see in Vegas. We are going to give him the basketball. Put him in decision-making situations. And build him from there.” The 20-year-old guard has struggled with efficiency through three games in Las Vegas, but holds impressive all-around averages of 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks.
Ben Sullivan has had a unique journey to becoming an NBA assistant coach, and it’s an opportunity he doesn’t take for granted, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link). “You hear people talk about this. ‘Find your passion. Find your passion, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I actually am lucky enough to believe that,” Sullivan said. “It doesn’t feel like a job. I feel like I’m doing what I love doing, doing what I’m supposed to be doing. Whatever form or capacity it ends up being, I love being in the gym and working with the guys. I love what I do.” As Feigen writes, Sullivan’s wife pushed him to consider coaching while he was working at a construction company, and he got his start teaching sixth graders the game. The new Rockets assistant has been part of two championships during his 10 seasons in the NBA, including eight as an assistant.
Point guard McKinley Wright will miss the remainder of Summer League after spraining his left ankle, the Mavericks announced (via Twitter). Wright is currently an unrestricted free agent after spending the past two seasons on two-way deals with Minnesota and Dallas, respectively.