New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Zion Williamson

March 19th, 2022 at 11:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

One of the biggest storylines this offseason will undoubtedly revolve around a player who isn’t even eligible for free agency.

While three of the top five picks in the 2019 draft – Ja Morant, RJ Barrett and Darius Garland – have delivered highly productive seasons for their respective teams, that draft’s No. 1 pick has been in virtual seclusion most of the season.

Pelicans big man Zion Williamson wasn’t supposed to be out of uniform all season but the rehab from his surgically-repaired right foot has dragged on. He suffered a couple of setbacks along the way and only recently returned to New Orleans. He spent a good chunk of the season rehabbing in Portland and hasn’t spoken to the media since September. It seems unlikely we’ll see him suit up before the end of the season.

He’s gone from freakish talent to one of the league’s biggest enigmas. It’s difficult to say whether Zion wants to continue to his career in New Orleans. It’s also hard to know whether the Pelicans want to retain him long-term, considering his injury history and aloof personality.

Williamson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. The former Duke star would be eligible to sign for up to five years with a starting salary worth 25% of the 2023/24 salary cap (or 30%, if he makes an All-NBA team next season). We don’t know the exact amount yet, but if the ’23/24 cap comes in at $125MM, a five-year max for Zion would work out to at least $181MM.

If Williamson signs an extension this offseason, he’ll likely push for the max or something very close to it. If an extension agreement isn’t reached, Williamson would be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2023 (as long as New Orleans extends a qualifying offer).

New Orleans has two very good players – Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum – and adding a healthy, productive, motivated Williamson would form the core of a solid playoff team. That’s a huge if.

The draft lottery could also play a role in the Pelicans’ decision. They’ll get the Lakers pick if it lands in the top 10. They’ll also keep their own pick if it lands in the top four — otherwise, it will be conveyed to either Portland or Charlotte.

Let’s not forget how dominant Williamson can be when he’s healthy. He averaged 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 3.7 APG last season. If New Orleans front office has soured on him or he asks for a trade, plenty of teams would line up and offer a substantial haul for his services despite his nagging foot issues.

That leads us to our question of the day: What should the Pelicans do with Zion Williamson this offseason – pursue a max extension, trade him, or wait to see how next season plays out and allow him to become a restricted free agent in 2023?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Pelicans Notes: Ingram, Hayes, Alvarado, Graham, McCollum

March 17th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram didn’t practice on Thursday, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. Ingram is recovering from a hamstring strain that has kept him out of action since March 6. New Orleans has lost four of five games since Ingram was sidelined and will begin a three-game road trip at San Antonio on Friday. The team has listed Ingram as out for the opener of the trip.

We have more on the Pelicans:

The team’s struggles without Ingram reinforces the need to keep him on the court by any means necessary, Scott Kushner of NOLA.com opines. They may have to reduce his playing time, or Ingram may need to get stronger this offseason. New Orleans is 3-16 in the games he has missed.
Jaxson Hayes has expanded his offensive game this season, which complicates the team’s long-term picture, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. Hayes has thrived at power forward and would have to move back to center on a regular basis once Zion Williamson returns from injury, whether this season or next. Both players are eligible for rookie scale extensions this summer and the Pelicans will have to decide whether to lock up Hayes long-term or see how the situation plays out.
Jose Alvarado (finger) and Devonte’ Graham (hip) are listed as questionable to play on Friday, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets.
One bright spot for the club in the Pelicans’ loss to Phoenix on Wednesday was the return of CJ McCollum. After exiting the league’s health and safety protocols, McCollum played 32 minutes, scored 21 points and dished out nine assists.

CJ McCollum Cleared To Return For Pelicans

March 15th, 2022 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard CJ McCollum has exited the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols and will be available to play for the Pelicans on Tuesday vs. Phoenix, the team announced today (via Twitter).

McCollum entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols last Thursday and missed New Orleans’ games against Charlotte on Friday and Houston on Sunday.

The Pelicans split those games and remain well positioned to qualify for the play-in tournament in the Western Conference. At 28-40, they’re the No. 10 seed, one game behind the No. 9 Lakers (29-39) and 1.5 games up on the No. 11 Trail Blazers (26-41).

Devonte’ Graham entered the Pelicans’ starting lineup during McCollum’s two-game absence, but figures to return to the second unit on Tuesday. Graham and Jose Alvarado will likely play reduced roles after seeing a bump in minutes with McCollum out.

Green Hopeful McCollum Can Play Tuesday

March 14th, 2022 at 10:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans coach Willie Green is hopeful CJ McCollum will clear the league’s health and safety protocols in time to play on Tuesday, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. McCollum was placed in protocols on Thursday. “We’re hopeful. We’ll see how it goes,” Green said. “He’s got to get a couple negative tests. He’s progressing.” The Pelicans have listed McCollum as questionable to play.

Alize Johnson Signs Another 10-Day With Pelicans

March 12th, 2022 at 12:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

12:51pm: New Orleans has officially signed Johnson to a new 10-day deal using the hardship exception, the team announced in a press release.

11:23am: The Pelicans are signing forward Alize Johnson to a second 10-day contact via the hardship exception, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Johnson’s standard 10-day contract was terminated a day early on Friday, as New Orleans added Tyrone Wallace on a standard 10-day deal. However, the hardship exception was made available due to CJ McCollum being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols this week.

New Orleans thus has the option of offering Johnson another standard 10-day before deciding whether to offer him a rest-of-the-season contract.

Johnson appeared in three games on his first 10-day with New Orleans, averaging 3.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 8.0 minutes per contest. He didn’t have to pass through waivers, so he’s eligible to be signed immediately.

Johnson, 25, has also played 16 games with Chicago and three with Washington this season.

Pelicans Release Alize Johnson, Officially Sign Tyrone Wallace

March 11th, 2022 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have terminated Alize Johnson‘s 10-day contract a day early, clearing room on the roster to officially sign Tyrone Wallace to a 10-day deal, the team announced today in a press release. Both transactions are official.

Wallace, who has appeared in 106 NBA regular season games for the Clippers and Hawks, has spent this season with the Long Island Nets in the G League. He has averaged 18.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG on .483/.436/.727 shooting in 20 appearances (33.4 MPG) for Brooklyn’s NBAGL affiliate.

Word first broke on Thursday that Wallace would sign a 10-day deal with the Pelicans after CJ McCollum entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Placing McCollum in the protocols gives New Orleans a COVID-related hardship exception, allowing them to add a 16th man. But the team chose to use the final spot on its standard 15-man roster to sign Wallace, which is why Johnson had to be released.

It’s possible that the Pelicans will now use their hardship exception to re-sign Johnson to a new 10-day deal. Since COVID-related hardship signings don’t count toward a player’s limit of two 10-day contracts with the same team, it makes sense that the team would use that hardship exception on a player who has already signed a standard 10-day deal, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks observed (via Twitter).

Johnson has appeared in three games since signing last Wednesday, averaging 3.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 8.0 minutes per contest. He’ll be a free agent immediately, without having to pass through waivers.

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Ingram, Alvarado, Roster

March 11th, 2022 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has officially rejoined the team, having been spotted today at New Orleans’ shootaround, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets.

Reports last week indicated that Williamson would be returning to New Orleans after spending much of the winter rehabbing his foot injury on the West Coast. The former No. 1 overall pick moved his rehab to Portland in early January.

Williamson’s return to the Pelicans doesn’t necessarily mean his return his imminent, but his recovery from foot surgery is believed to be trending in a positive direction again following a couple setbacks earlier in the season. If he’s able to play before the regular season ends, it would make the Pels all the more dangerous entering next month’s play-in tournament.

“It’s good. It’s good for him,” Pelicans guard Devonte’ Graham said on Friday (Twitter link via Christian Clark of NOLA.com). “I know he missed being here. Just being around your family, your brothers. It was a warm welcome when he came back. Just want to see him healthy. That’s all.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

In a Hoop Collective segment (video link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon debate whether the Pelicans are more likely to extend, trade, or stay the course with Williamson during the 2022 offseason.
With Williamson sidelined for the entire season, Brandon Ingram has taken on more responsibilities in 2021/22, making an effort to be more of a leader despite having a quieter, more reserved personality, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic. “We just have a really good group of guys, and we all care for each other. We all want to see each other at our best,” Ingram said. “I just try to share my experiences to help those guys and let them know I’m there for them when they need me. It’s also good for me when I go up to those guys and tell them what I see, because it helps me get out of my own head. Once I do that, it’s easier to focus on the moment and play the game the right way.”
Ingram’s teammates have been impressed by what they’ve seen from him this season, as Guillory details in the same story. “He’s just growing up in this role. He’s more locked in,” Naji Marshall told The Athletic. “Not saying that he wasn’t last year, but I feel like this year, he’s taking it personal. Whether it’s not getting the recognition from people or not making All-Star, he’s taking it all personal. It’s showing on and off the court. You can’t question how special that dude is.”
As an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract, rookie guard Jose Alvarado wasn’t expected to play a major role for the Pelicans this season, but he has exceeded all expectations and leads first-year players in plus-minus, says Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The Pelicans have a +12.4 net rating when Alvarado plays, compared to -4.6 when he sits.
In case you missed it, the Pelicans are set to sign Tyrone Wallace to a 10-day contract after placing CJ McCollum in the health and safety protocols. Alize Johnson currently occupies the club’s 15th roster spot on a 10-day deal that will expire tonight — New Orleans could re-sign him and add Wallace by completing one of the signings using the COVID-related hardship allowance, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.

Pelicans Place CJ McCollum In Protocols, Will Sign Ty Wallace To 10-Day

March 10th, 2022 at 5:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyrone Wallace plans to sign a 10-day deal with the Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Wallace has averaged 27 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 5.9 APG in his last 11 games with the G League’s Long Island Nets.

It’s been a long road back to the NBA for Wallace, the 60th pick of the 2016 draft. He appeared in 92 games for the Clippers from 2017-19 and 14 more for the Hawks during the 2019/20 season. The shooting guard averaged 5.2 PPG in 15.5 MPG during those 106 career appearances.

The news coincides with New Orleans’ announcement on Thursday that CJ McCollum has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and will miss at least Friday’s game against Charlotte (Twitter link). Brandon Ingram is out at least seven-to-10 days due to a hamstring strain.

Alize Johnson‘s 10-day contract is set to expire on Friday. However, Wallace could be added under the hardship exception due to McCollum’s status, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Checking In On NBA’s Open Roster Spots

March 10th, 2022 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Several of the NBA teams that had open roster spots following the trade deadline have since filled them, either with free agent signings, such as DeMarcus Cousins (Nuggets) and DeAndre Jordan (Sixers), or with promoted two-way players, like Caleb Martin (Heat) and Daishen Nix (Rockets).

However, there are still a number of clubs around the league with openings available, either on their standard 15-man roster or among their two-way contract slots.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of March 10:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics (2) *
Charlotte Hornets *
Cleveland Cavaliers *
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans *
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors *
Utah Jazz

* The teams marked with an asterisk each technically have full rosters as of today, but are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract. We’re considering those roster spots “open” because those 10-day deals will soon expire.

Despite a series of signings since last month’s trade deadline, there are still 12 NBA teams that aren’t carrying 15 players on full-season standard contracts. However, four of those clubs have filled their open roster spot(s) with 10-day signings, and a fifth will join that group when the Cavaliers complete their reported 10-day deal with Moses Brown.

The Celtics are one team to watch here. When the second 10-day contracts for Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin expire next Monday night, Boston will either have to sign at least one of them to a rest-of-season contract or add another player within the next two weeks in order to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 players on standard deals.

Teams with open two-way spots:

Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings

Following the trade deadline, five teams had open two-way contract slots. Four of those teams have since filled them — the Suns are the only holdout, having not carried a second two-way player since they released Chandler Hutchison in early January.

The Rockets have had an open two-way slot since they promoted Nix to the 15-man roster nearly a month ago, while the Kings‘ opening has existed since they waived Louis King on February 17.

Brandon Ingram Suffers Hamstring Strain, Will Be Reevaluated In 7-10 Days

March 9th, 2022 at 8:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans star Brandon Ingram underwent an MRI on his right leg Wednesday, revealing a mild hamstring strain. He’ll be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days, the team announced.

New Orleans is just 2-13 without Ingram this season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, so any extended absence could have a major impact on the team’s record.

Ingram, 24, was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 draft. In 50 games this season, he’s averaging 22.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 5.5 APG on .462/.335/.816 shooting. Although his three-point percentage is down compared to the last couple seasons, the 5.5 assists per game are a career-high and he’s shown improvement on defense.

A one-time All-Star, Ingram has helped keep the Pelicans afloat during the season-long absence of Zion Williamson. Coach Willie Green said Williamson won’t be on the bench for Wednesday’s contest vs. Orlando, but he’ll be with the team starting Thursday (Twitter link via Andrew Lopez of ESPN).

The Pelicans are the No. 10 seed in the West with a 27-38 record, but they’re 25-25 with Ingram. They trail the No. 9 seed Lakers by one-and-a-half games and hold a one-and-a-half game lead on the No. 11 seed Trail Blazers. New Orleans currently trails Orlando 56-41 at halftime on Wednesday.