New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Notes: Playoff Race, B. Graham, Williamson

March 8th, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Passing the Lakers in the standings should be the motivating factor that drives the rest of the season for the Pelicans, writes Scott Kushner of NOLA.com.

As Kushner notes, moving ahead of the Lakers would be doubly beneficial for the Pelicans. For one, the two teams currently rank ninth and 10th in the Western Conference standings, and the No. 9 seed will host the No. 10 team in a win-or-go-home game in the play-in tournament next month.

Additionally, the Pelicans will receive the Lakers’ first-round pick if it lands in the top 10, so pushing the Lakers further down the standings would increase the likelihood of New Orleans getting that lottery pick. Currently, the Lakers have the NBA’s 11th-worst record.

The Pelicans will host the Lakers on March 27, then will face them in Los Angeles on April 1, so they’ll have a couple opportunities in the coming weeks to directly help their own cause.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

An assistant general manager in the Pelicans’ front office, Bryson Graham is viewed as a strong candidate to continue climbing the basketball operations ranks, either in New Orleans or elsewhere, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “I think he’s really good,” one NBA executive said of Graham. “He’s smart, he works hard and he knows his s–t. (He) will be a GM in the next five years.”
Graham tells Vorkunov that he’s thrilled to be an assistant GM in New Orleans, but his goal is to ultimately run a team. “I mean, I’m winning right now, just being in the door,” Graham said. “But for me to sit here and say that, ‘Oh, I don’t care about being the GM one day or being the vice president.’ Eh, that’s a bunch of bull. I want that opportunity. And I think everybody that’s in my shoes ultimately should strive, as long as it’s coming from a good place.”
With Zion Williamson eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, Keith Smith of Spotrac explores what the former No. 1 overall pick’s next contract could look like. As Smith observes, Williamson’s history of health issues, his “uneasy” relationship with New Orleans, and his incredible production when he has played will make the situation a fascinating one to watch.
In case you missed it, Williamson – who is back in New Orleans after rehabbing his foot injury elsewhere for much of the year – is expected to rejoin the Pelicans when the team returns home this week. The club’s road trip wraps up with tonight’s game in Memphis.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Wieskamp, Primo, Nix

March 6th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by JD Shaw

The Pelicans‘ recent surge is largely because of their improved defense, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. New Orleans has won four straight games, including a 124-90 victory over the Jazz on Friday.

Prior to that, the Pelicans held the Kings and Lakers to 95 points each, plus the Suns to 102 points. On the season, the team has allowed 108.7 points per game, which ranks 13th in the league. New Orleans currently holds the No. 10 seed in the West at 27-36.

“I feel like we’re doing a great job of defending, keeping guys out of the paint and just forcing them into tough shots,” said Herbert Jones, one of the league’s rising young defenders. “We’re flying all over the place, helping each other out. One guy gets beat, it’s another one of our brothers there to help him out. Hopefully, we can stay consistent and keep defending how we’re defending.”

There’s more from the Southwest:

Joe Wieskamp earned a standard deal with the Spurs by trusting in their development process, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News explores. The Spurs converted Wieskamp’s two-way deal into a traditional contract on Friday. San Antonio drafted the 22-year-old with the No. 41 pick last year.
In a separate story for the San Antonio Express-News, Orsborn examines a number of recent Spurs takeaways, including a learning lesson for rookie Joshua Primo. The 19-year-old played 11 fourth-quarter minutes against the Hornets on Saturday, finishing with 10 points.
Daishen Nix has offered the Rockets a glimpse into the future, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Nix has averaged 22.5 points in the G League this season, shooting 49% from the floor and 40% from deep. Houston promoted him from his two-way deal and signed him to a four-year deal last month.

Williamson To Re-Join Team Next Week; Jones Impresses With Defense

March 5th, 2022 at 3:13pm CST by JD Shaw

Pelicans star Zion Williamson will rejoin the team when it returns from its road trip next week, Andrew Lopez of ESPN tweets. New Orleans will play Denver on Sunday and Memphis on Tuesday. Williamson is progressing to full-weight bearing activities and his future timetable remains unclear.
Despite being a rookie, Pelicans forward Herbert Jones already appears to be one of the NBA’s best defenders, Christian Clark of NOLA.com opines. Jones’ defense was a major reason why Jazz star Donovan Mitchell scored just 14 points on 5-for-18 shooting on Friday, with the Pelicans winning by 34. “Herb, you just expect it from him almost,” head coach Willie Green said. “That’s what he does. He doesn’t say much. He just goes out and does his work. What he’s doing, we don’t take for granted. It’s hard to guard the best player every single night.”

Zion Williamson Returning To New Orleans, Progressing In Basketball Activities

March 5th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Dana Gauruder

Another positive development in Zion Williamson‘s recovery from a foot injury could mean he’ll return to action before the end of the regular season.

Williamson is returning to New Orleans after rehabbing in Portland and has been cleared to progress in basketball activities, The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Will Guillory report (via Twitter).

The top pick in the 2019 draft hasn’t appeared in a game since last May. The Pelicans have been on a hot streak since the All-Star break, winning their last four games and currently holding the last spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. Naturally, the insertion of Williamson into the lineup would make them a dangerous team in the postseason.

Earlier this week, the Pelicans provided an update on Williamson’s rehab from right foot surgery, stating that recent imaging showed “improved bone healing” in the fifth metatarsal. However, the update also struck a cautious tone with no established timetable for his return.

Williamson will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and it would certainly be helpful for both parties to see him back in action before the season’s end.

McCollum Thriving As Lead Guard

March 3rd, 2022 at 7:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

CJ McCollum is thriving with the Pelicans since being acquired from Portland. McCollum says added responsibility has led to his strong start in New Orleans, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He is averaging 26.6 PPG on 51.9% shooting and 6.0 APG since the deal. “I’m the primary ball-handler now,” McCollum said. “Before, Dame (Damian Lillard) was the primary ball-handler.” McCollum is in the first year of a three-year, $100MM extension.

Pelicans Provide Update On Zion Williamson’s Recovery

March 2nd, 2022 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans provided a brief update today on Zion Williamson‘s recovery from right foot surgery, issuing a press release that said recent imaging showed “improved bone healing” in the fifth metatarsal of his foot.

According to the team, Williamson will gradually progress to full weight-bearing exercise and basketball activities. However, while the star forward’s recovery is trending in the right direction again after a couple setbacks in December, he’s still out indefinitely, per today’s announcement.

Williamson underwent surgery on his right foot during the 2021 offseason and has yet to play at all this season. Comments that he and head of basketball operations David Griffin made on Media Day in September strongly suggested the 21-year-old was targeting opening night for his return. Griffin later claimed that when he said Williamson would be ready for the season, he hadn’t meant the start of the season, but Zion himself was clearly aiming to be back for opening night.

It has now been more than five months since Griffin and Williamson addressed reporters on Media Day, and time is running out for the former No. 1 overall pick to play at all in 2021/22 — the Pelicans’ regular season schedule will conclude in just five-and-a-half weeks, and the club wouldn’t be guaranteed more than a single play-in game unless it can move up to No. 8 in the conference standings.

Whether or not Williamson plays this spring, the coming offseason will be a very significant one for him. The former Duke standout will be eligible for a rookie scale extension, and signing a long-term deal would go a long way toward answering questions about whether or not he wants to be in New Orleans. If he and the Pelicans don’t reach a deal, rumors about his possible discontent would only intensify.

Pelicans Sign Alize Johnson To 10-Day Contract

March 2nd, 2022 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 2: Johnson’s 10-day deal with the Pelicans is now official, the team announced in a press release. As noted below, it’ll run through March 11, covering New Orleans’ next six games.

FEBRUARY 28: The Pelicans are adding some frontcourt depth by signing free agent forward Alize Johnson to a 10-day contract, agent George Langberg tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Johnson, 25, began the 2021/22 season with the Bulls after earning a 15-man roster spot in training camp. He was waived in December when Chicago required a spot on the roster for Alfonzo McKinnie and subsequently joined the Wizards on a 10-day hardship deal.

In total, Johnson has appeared in 19 NBA games this season for Chicago and Washington, averaging 1.7 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 7.3 minutes per contest. He has career averages of 2.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 68 appearances (7.5 MPG), having also spent time in Indiana and Brooklyn since he was selected 50th overall in the 2018 draft.

The Pelicans have an opening on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be required to sign Johnson, who will get a standard 10-day contract. The deal will pay him $99,380, with the team taking on a cap hit of $95,930.

New Orleans doesn’t play its next game until Wednesday, so the club could wait until then to officially sign Johnson in order to maximize his 10 days. If he formally joins the Pelicans on Wednesday, Johnson would be under contract through March 11, making him eligible for six games. If he signs today or tomorrow, Johnson’s deal would expire before the team’s March 11 contest vs. Charlotte.

O'Connor: Pelicans' Supporting Cast Is Ideal For Zion

March 2nd, 2022 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

After acquiring CJ McCollum last month, the Pelicans have put together a supporting cast capable of complementing and enhancing Zion Williamson‘s unique skill set, opines Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Now, the team just needs its star forward to get healthy to see what all the pieces look like together.

Lakers’ Struggles Create Draft-Pick Drama For Grizzlies, Pelicans

February 28th, 2022 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers hit a new low on Sunday night, suffering a blowout home loss to the Pelicans in which they were booed repeatedly by the crowd at Crypto.com Arena, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. It was the ninth loss in 12 games for an L.A. team that is now 27-33 on the season and only has a 2.5-game lead on the 11th-place Trail Blazers.

As McMenamin observes, it won’t get any easier this week for the Lakers, who face the Mavericks on Tuesday, the Clippers on Thursday, and the Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers are 1-5 against those teams so far this season, narrowly squeaking out an overtime victory in mid-December over a Dallas squad that was missing Luka Doncic.

As Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes, LeBron James was among the Lakers who had no answers after Sunday’s performance. Russell Westbrook, who had one assist and seven turnovers on Sunday, hypothesized that teams are giving a little extra effort in games against the reeling Lakers.

“Teams are coming in, playing harder, and I believe that’s kind of their scouting report: Just play harder than them and see what happens,” Westbrook said, per McMenamin. “And it’s working. Until we determine and have the determination that we’re not going to allow it, especially on our home floor, it will continue to happen to us.”

The Lakers are expected to be without Anthony Davis for a few more weeks and are currently 3.5 games back of the eighth-seeded Clippers. If they can’t move into the top eight of the Western Conference by the end of the season, they’ll have to win two games in a play-in tournament to even qualify for the playoffs.

The Lakers’ increasingly disappointing season is likely being monitored closely for draft-related reasons by two Western Conference rivals, the Pelicans and Grizzlies. New Orleans acquired the Lakers’ unprotected 2022 first-round pick in the Davis blockbuster in 2019, then flipped it to Memphis in last summer’s Jonas Valanciunas deal.

When the Pelicans traded the Lakers’ 2022 first-rounder to the Grizzlies, they added top-10 protection to it, so New Orleans will get the pick if it falls between No. 1 and No. 10. If it lands between 11 and 30, Memphis will receive it. It seemed like a pretty safe bet entering the season that the pick would end up in the back half of the first round, but that’s far from a sure thing now, as John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link) and others have noted.

If the season ended today and the Lakers didn’t earn a playoff spot in the play-in tournament, they’d likely enter the draft lottery in a tie for the No. 11 spot, as our reverse standings show. That would give them only an 8.5% chance of moving into the top four, so the Grizzlies would still feel relatively confident about their chances of holding onto the pick in that scenario.

However, this situation could change quickly. If the Lakers are passed in the standings by at least one more team, their pick may well end up in the top 10 even without any lottery luck, which would be great news for the Pelicans. Incidentally, New Orleans looks like the team with the best odds of passing the Lakers — there’s currently a 2.5-game gap between the two clubs, and the Pels have looked better since acquiring CJ McCollum.

It’s also worth noting that even if the Lakers hang onto the No. 9 spot in the West, a pair of play-in wins by the West’s No. 10 seed would move that team out of the draft lottery, pushing L.A. up one spot in the lottery standings.

At this point, it doesn’t matter much to the Lakers which team gets their lottery pick — they won’t keep it in any scenario. But it’s a major storyline worth following for the Pelicans and Grizzlies, two teams that could really benefit from having another lottery selection.

If the pick ends up in the top 10 and the Pelicans keep it, they’ll send Cleveland’s 2022 second-rounder and their own 2025 second-rounder to Memphis. If the pick ends up between 11-30 and the Grizzlies get it, New Orleans won’t get anything.

Southwest Notes: McCollum, Ingram, Zion, Schröder, Doncic

February 28th, 2022 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans may be missing former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, but CJ McCollum and star forward Brandon Ingram have been developing an impressive rapport in the weeks since McCollum arrived from Portland, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

“Those two guys set the tone for us,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said after Sunday’s blowout win over the Lakers. “When they are playing like that and playing off of each other and making the simple plays, it’s beautiful basketball to watch.”

McCollum, who went out to dinner with Ingram and Green last week, tells Mark Medina of NBA.com that he advised Ingram “to be the most aggressive version of himself and not worry about me.”

“He’s been great. We can all see what he’s doing on the floor and his ability to score and to free up other guys,” Green said of the newly-acquired guard. “Now teams can’t load up as much on Brandon and can’t double Jonas [Valanciunas] as much when he’s on the floor.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

After defending Williamson last week to reporters, McCollum stressed in his conversation with Medina that he just wants to support his new Pelicans teammate while he recovers from his foot surgery and wasn’t bothered by the fact that it took them a couple weeks to touch base. “I just want to be there for him and be someone to lean on who has gone through injuries and doubt and anxiety and all of the things that are associated with being removed from the team due to injury,” McCollum said. “He’s a really young, talented player that has got a lot on his plate right now. I think it’s important for him to focus on the process and on the rehab. The rest of the things will handle itself. But when he gets back, we’ll hit the ground running. That’s a guy that changes any franchise and their trajectory.”
Rockets guard Dennis Schröder, who had to settle for a one-year, $5.9MM contract in free agency last summer, has hired new representation, signing with Priority Sports, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Schröder is averaging a career-high 7.8 assists per game in his first five appearances with Houston, but has shot the ball erratically, making just 34.5% of his attempts from the floor, including 21.7% of his three-pointers.
After picking up his 13th technical foul of the season on Sunday, Mavericks star Luka Doncic is now tied for the league lead and is just three technicals shy of earning a one-game suspension, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. As MacMahon notes, with Dallas in the midst of a playoff race, Doncic has vowed that won’t happen.