New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors Auditioning Veteran Players

September 13th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are continuing to hold workouts with veteran NBA players as they look to fill out their roster, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

In addition to Kent Bazemore and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who were previously identified as working out for the team, Scotto names Dewayne Dedmon, Will Barton, Jaylen Nowell, Stanley Johnson and Derrick Favors as others who have been given tryouts.

Scotto notes that three of those players have previous experience with the organization. Bazemore signed with Golden State for the 2020/21 season, Toscano-Anderson was part of the 2021/22 title team, and Dedmon played four games for the Warriors during his rookie season.

Barton also has an upcoming workout with the Pelicans, sources tell Scotto. He was a starter with the Nuggets for several seasons, but saw his role diminish last year after being traded to the Wizards and then joining the Raptors as a free agent.

Favors recently worked out for the Trail Blazers, Scotto adds. The 32-year-old big man didn’t appear in any games last season, although he signed a 10-day contract with the Hawks in January.

Nowell averaged a career-high 10.8 PPG for the Timberwolves last season, but he hasn’t found a new team, even though Minnesota was believed to be open to a sign-and-trade deal. A report this summer indicated that the Mavericks had interest in Nowell, but nothing came of it.

Johnson, who has been with five teams over the past four years, averaged 5.8 PPG while shooting 45% from three-point range in 30 games with the Spurs last season.

Golden State has 13 players with guaranteed contracts and is expected to fill one of its two roster openings before the start of the season. The Warriors also have one two-way slot filled and commitments for three Exhibit 10 deals, so they can sign four more players before training camp opens.

Brandon Ingram Not Expected To Pursue Extension This Offseason

September 13th, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Having signed his current five-year contract with the Pelicans during the 2020 offseason, Brandon Ingram became eligible for a veteran extension earlier this summer. However, multiple sources tell Christian Clark of NOLA.com that Ingram will wait until the 2024 offseason to explore a new deal with the team.

Ingram’s decision isn’t related to his desire to remain in New Orleans long-term — he’ll simply be eligible for a more lucrative extension next offseason than he is now, particularly if he makes an All-NBA team in 2023/24. Within the organization, there’s no “anxiety” about Ingram’s desire to hold off on contract talks until next summer, Clark notes.

Ingram will earn $33.8MM this coming season and a little over $36MM in 2024/25 before his current contract expires. He could sign a three-year extension this offseason that could be worth up to 30% of the ’25/26 cap. If we assume 10% salary cap increases for each of the next two seasons, that would work out to about $160MM.

If Ingram were to wait until next offseason to sign a new contract, his maximum extension would increase to a projected $221MM for four years (based on 10% annual cap increases). If he makes an All-NBA team and becomes eligible for a super-max contract, his maximum extension would jump to $334MM for five years (again, based on 10% cap increases).

There’s no guarantee that the Pelicans would be willing to make that substantial an offer when the time comes, but the fact that Ingram could lock in significantly more guaranteed money by waiting explains why he’s not rushing to sign an extension before the ’23/24 season begins. Once opening night arrives next month, Ingram will become ineligible to sign an extension until the start of the 2024 offseason.

An All-NBA season in 2023/24 is probably a long shot for a player who has made just one All-Star team through seven years in the league, but the fact that players must appear in at least 65 games this season to qualify for an All-NBA team could open up the door for someone like Ingram. Conversely, of course, Ingram himself hasn’t played more than 65 games in a season since 2017, so the 26-year-old will need to stay healthier this year in order to have a chance to be an All-NBA candidate.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Ingram averaged a career-high 24.7 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in 34.2 minutes per game (45 appearances) in 2022/23, posting a shooting line of .484/.390/.882.

Murphy Now At Increased Risk For Future Knee Issues

September 12th, 2023 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sports injury expert Jeff Stotts believes the biggest issue regarding Trey Murphy‘s meniscus tear is the possibility of re-injury in the future, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. The Pelicans wing will now be at an increased risk for future meniscus problems, Stotts told Guillory in a Q&A season discussing the injury and the recovery process. Murphy underwent surgery for a partially torn left meniscus last week with a projected timeline of 10-12 weeks to return to action.
Zion Williamson‘s health will be the key to the Pelicans’ season, according to Shaun Powell of NBA.com. The team is built around him and another injury-riddled season could test New Orleans’ patience regarding its current franchise player.

And-Ones: Parker, Team Assets, 2024 FAs, Pelicans, Hornets

September 8th, 2023 at 4:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

2014 lottery pick and veteran NBA forward Jabari Parker sat down for an extensive conversation with Julian Phillip of Mundo Deportivo about his new pro club, FC Barcelona. When asked if he felt that Barcelona could hold its own against teams in his former league, Parker was effusive in his praise.

“Definitely,” Parker said. “Because we have, essentially, three guys who aren’t just NBA players but main guys. Myself, Sato [Tomas Satoransky] and Willy [Hernangomez], and the experience is there because we’ve been playing professionally for a long time.”

A 6’8″ forward out of Duke, Parker hasn’t suited up for an NBA team since the 2021/22 season, which he split between the Kings and Celtics. As a deep-bench reserve, he averaged 5.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 0.8 APG in just 13 total games.

Parker told Phillip that he intends to focus on how he can help his new club in Spain rather than how he can use the opportunity as a springboard to get back to the NBA.

“I just want to be here,” Parker said. “My most important thing is not skipping steps. And I signed here with the intention of giving my all. I think being in the moment is very important for me.”

There’s more from around the basketball world:

The Thunder and Spurs, both of whom possess a variety of draft picks in addition to burgeoning young talent, occupy the top two slots in a fresh ranking of team assets, courtesy of HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan. Gozlan took stock of all 30 franchises’ rosters and future draft picks in making his list.
The fates of aging future Hall of Famers like Lakers small forward LeBron James and Sixers guard James Harden are among some of the top potential 2024 free agent storylines to watch, opines Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. James, who turns 39 in December, has a player option for 2024/25, while Harden is in the final season of his deal with Philadelphia. Harden, of course, is pushing to be dealt elsewhere this year.
The G League affiliates of the Pelicans and Hornets have completed a minor trade. The Pelicans’ affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, has shipped out shooting guard John Petty Jr. and next year’s first-round NBGL draft pick to the Hornets’ affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, for the returning player rights to point guard Jalen Crutcher, per a Swarm tweet.

Trey Murphy Undergoes Surgery On Left Meniscus

September 7th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 7: Murphy has undergone surgery to repair his slightly torn left meniscus and is expected to miss 10-to-12 weeks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). That timeline would have him back in action around mid-November, Wojnarowski adds.

Per a Pelicans press release (Twitter link), Murphy underwent a successful partial meniscectomy and received a biologic injection in his left knee. The release states that Murphy is expected to make a full recovery.

SEPTEMBER 5: Pelicans sharpshooter Trey Murphy III has suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the injury occurred during a workout on Tuesday.

Murphy will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury and the best treatment path, Wojnarowski adds, noting that it’s not yet clear whether he’ll require surgery.

The 17th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Murphy emerged as a full-time starter for New Orleans in his second NBA season. He averaged 14.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per night across 79 appearances (65 starts), posting an impressive shooting line of .484/.406/.905.

If Murphy has to miss a significant chunk of the season, it would be a major blow for a Pelicans team that would badly miss his shooting. However, we’ll have to wait for further updates to get a sense of what sort of recovery timeline the 23-year-old might be facing.

Meniscus injuries can be treated differently depending on the severity. Even if a player has to go under the knife, the recovery timeline varies drastically depending on whether he has his meniscus repaired or removed. Some players have missed most or all of a season while recovering from a meniscus tear, while others have returned within a month or two.

Murphy is entering the third year of his rookie scale contract and will become extension-eligible for the first time during the 2024 offseason. While a big performance this season could benefit him financially, the Pelicans presumably envision him as part of their future and will prioritize his long-term health over his short-term availability.

Questions Surround Pelicans Following Trey Murphy’s Meniscus Injury

September 7th, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee on Tuesday, leaving New Orleans without one of its most crucial role players.

The Pelicans have “significant concern” about Murphy’s injury given his status as a staple of New Orleans’ rotation, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Wednesday via NBA Today (Twitter link). Wojnarowski goes on to say that Murphy has “at least a slight tear” in his meniscus and is undergoing further evaluation to determine what procedure he needs.

The severity of the injury is still to be determined, with Wojnarowski saying Murphy could, in the best-case scenario, be back around the start of the regular season. There are also scenarios in which it may be months before Murphy takes the court.

[UPDATE: Trey Murphy Undergoes Surgery On Left Meniscus]

Murphy, who averaged 14.5 points on 40.6% shooting from three last year, being out is a massive loss for a Pelicans team that seems to continually be dealing with health issues. This latest injury leaves New Orleans with both lineup and existential questions, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic.

Guillory echoes Wojnarowski’s report that if the damage is minimal, the third-year wing could face a recovery time of about six-to-eight weeks. Pelicans stars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have combined to appear in 199 games over the past two seasons (out of a possible 328), and Guillory writes that their absences are a huge reason the Pelicans have been unable to take a step forward in a deep Western Conference.

Muprhy was one of the NBA’s most improved players last year, jumping from 5.4 points on 39.4% shooting in 13.9 minutes per game off the bench to 14.5 points on 48.4% shooting in 31.0 minutes (65 starts). As Guillory writes, not only did Murphy’s numbers improve, but his confidence and ability to score in transition put him on another level.

As Ingram and Williamson continue to get healthier ahead of the 2023/24 season, Murphy looked like the perfect fit between the two as a defensive specialist capable of stretching the floor at a high level. Without Murphy, Guillory expects Naji Marshall and Dyson Daniels to pick up some minutes because of their defensive resumes, and that 2023 first-round pick Jordan Hawkins could help offset some of the shooting lost from the Murphy injury.

Guillory also writes that the Pelicans’ medical staff continues to be under a spotlight, with many injuries and longer-than-expected recovery timelines for said players. In order for the Pelicans to truly take the next step as an organization, Guillory writes, they will have to better communicate with the fan base and media about the recovery timelines of injured players.

And-Ones: Title Threats, Ennis, Storylines, Top Coaches

September 5th, 2023 at 10:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Which team is the Nuggets’ biggest impediment to a second straight title? ESPN’s panel of experts believes the Bucks, Warriors, Suns and Celtics are all potential threats to a Denver repeat. As for just making the playoffs, the Mavericks, Bulls, Timberwolves and Pelicans are among a group of teams that can’t afford to fall short of postseason participation or else risk major rebuilds or superstar demands for trades.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former NBA guard Tyler Ennis has signed with Italy’s Gevi Napoli Basket, according to a team press release. A first-round pick in 2014, Ennis has not played in the NBA since the 2017/18 season, when he appeared in 54 Lakers games. In recent years, Ennis has played mainly in Turkey. He also had a stint with the Raptors’ G League team.
The trade demands of James Harden and Damian Lillard, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future with the Bucks, are some of the storylines that will be closely followed this NBA season, The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes.
Who are the top five coaches in the NBA? Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times tackles that subject, ranking the Heat‘s Erik Spoelstra and the Spurs‘ Gregg Popovich first and second. The third choice may surprise some people. Cowley rates the Knicks‘ Tom Thibodeau at that spot due to his ability to take downtrodden franchises and make them playoff teams.

Pelicans Notes: Valanciunas, Lewis, Ingram, Zion

September 2nd, 2023 at 8:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans explored changes at center during the offseason, but it appears Jonas Valanciunas has the starting job locked up heading into training camp, William Guillory of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Although defensive issues kept him off the court in late-game situations last season, Valanciunas still provides a reliable presence in the middle with only 11 total missed games over the past two years.

New Orleans reportedly reached out to the Cavaliers this summer about trading for Jarrett Allen, but there’s currently “little traction” on a deal between the teams, according to Guillory. The Pelicans also inquired about Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart, but also to no avail.

Valanciunas has an expiring $15.4MM contract, so he’s likely to be the subject of trade rumors until the February deadline. Guillory expects New Orleans to continue to seek upgrades at center by offering a package of Valanciunas, point guard Kira Lewis and draft picks.

There’s more from New Orleans:

An extension for Trey Murphy won’t take effect until the 2025/26 season, so Pelicans management has two more years to determine if the current core can contend for a title, Guillory observes in the same piece. That group, which also includes Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Herbert Jones, showed promised in 2021/22 but fell short of the playoffs last season. The front office will likely try to avoid the luxury tax again this year, Guillory states, but there’s a belief that this is the most talented group the franchise has ever assembled.
Pelicans fans shouldn’t be concerned about Ingram’s struggles with Team USA, Guillory adds. Ingram was recently replaced in the starting lineup because he has failed to mesh with the first unit. Guillory notes that Ingram has already proven his status as an elite player, but says it would help if he could show an ability to adjust to a complementary role because he may be in that position more often on a fully healthy Pelicans team.
Guillory tweeted workout photos of Williamson along with the statement, “Been hearing good things about the work Zion’s putting in this summer.” Guillory added that Williamson is “really focused” on getting ready for a long season and wrote, “Think he’s gonna come in with a chip on his shoulder.” Injuries limited the 23-year-old forward to 29 games last season, and his health is obviously crucial to the Pelicans’ playoff hopes.

World Cup Notes: Edwards, RHJ, Hart, Ingram, Thanasis, Canada

August 30th, 2023 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Even though Team USA’s 48-point win over Jordan on Wednesday wasn’t exactly a tightly contested affair, former Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson enjoyed going back and forth at each other in the third and final first-round game at the World Cup, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Edwards had a game-high 22 points, edging out Hollis-Jefferson, who scored 20. The two were on Minnesota’s roster together for a brief period during the 2020 preseason, when RHJ served as a veteran mentor ahead of Edwards’ rookie year. Hollis-Jefferson didn’t end up making the Wolves’ regular season roster.

“We haven’t seen each other since then, so it was fun,” Edwards said. “And yeah, we was talking with smack out there for sure.”

U.S. head coach Steve Kerr made one lineup change ahead of the game vs. Jordan, replacing Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram in the starting five with Knicks forward Josh Hart. As Windhorst observes, Ingram had struggled as spot-up shooter with the first unit and was able to have the ball in his hands more as a reserve. It sounds like the change could stick.

“We just felt like it was important to take a look at Josh with the starting group and Brandon with the next group to see if the combinations fit,” Kerr said after the victory. “I liked what I saw. The game wasn’t competitive, but there was good flow with both groups.”

“They thought it was a better fit for me playing with Tyrese [Haliburton] and playing with some guys that are a little less ball dominant than Jalen [Brunson] and Ant,” Ingram told Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “They just talked about it being a better fit, and I agreed with them.”

Here are a few more World Cup notes:

Hollis-Jefferson is one of nine non-U.S. players identified by Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype as breakout performers through three World Cup games. Bulls guard Carlik Jones (South Sudan), Wizards forward Xavier Cooks (Australia), and Heat forward Nikola Jovic (Serbia) are among the NBAers who have impressed, as De Roa details.
Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who injured his left adductor in Monday’s loss to the U.S., returned to action for Greece on Wednesday. However, Antetokounmpo played a limited role in the win over New Zealand that clinched the Greeks a spot in the second round, recording more fouls (4) than points (2) in his 14 minutes.
The Canadian national team – which had the best point differential (+111) of any club in the first round – is finally realizing its potential on the international stage, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Canada has had no shortage of players in the NBA over the last decade, but those players haven’t always participated in international competitions and have struggled to quickly establish chemistry in the events they’ve played.

Pelicans’ Valanciunas Talks Trade Rumors, Zion, More

August 29th, 2023 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas had his name pop up in trade rumors multiple times this offseason. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, New Orleans explored the possibility of acquiring a more switchable center, inquiring on players like Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen and Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart. But with training camps just a few weeks away, Valanciunas remains on the roster.

Speaking to Fischer, Valanciunas expressed interest in staying in New Orleans beyond his current deal. And head of basketball operations David Griffin and head coach Willie Green were in Manila on Tuesday to watch the veteran big man play for Lithuania against Montenegro, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Griffin and Green will also visit with Team USA’s Brandon Ingram during their trip, Fischer notes).

But with lucrative new contracts for young frontcourt players like Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones on the team’s books beginning this season, extending Valanciunas at a rate anywhere near his current $15.4MM salary might be a long shot, Fischer writes.

If the 31-year-old doesn’t sign an extension with the Pelicans, he’ll likely remain a trade candidate throughout the 2023/24 season, since he’s on an expiring contract. However, he tells Fischer he’s not bothered by the fact that his future is uncertain.

“You can’t be safe all the time and sitting and know where you’re going to be the next day,” Valanciunas said. “You have to expect everything. There’s no hard feelings. Trades happen. It’s not like an unusual thing.”

Here are a few more highlights from Valanciunas’ conversation with Fischer:

On his attempts to develop a three-point shot:

“I don’t want to be stretching out. I want to be a down-low player. My main game is going to be in the paint, always. Set screens, roll hard. Do damage inside on the low post. But when they’re plugging the paint, when they’re rotating, when they’re leaving you alone, being able to knock down a three-point shot, this is what I’m still working on.”

On how good Williamson can be when he’s healthy:

“He has the skill set and the first step, which I feel bad for people who’s guarding him. It’s unbelievable things. When you’re just watching him play, you feel like, ‘Wow, what the f–k is going on?’ His power, his highlights, talk for himself.”

On his post-retirement plans:

“I want to have a feel of basketball, no matter what. Playing, doing some other jobs. Coaching, front office. No matter what, I want to be connected to basketball. So that’s what my next step is gonna be.”