New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Wood, Spurs, Anunoby, Pelicans

June 10th, 2022 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Rival executives who have spoken to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype anticipate the Rockets will gauge the trade market for Christian Wood this offseason as the big man enters the final year of his three-year contract. However, it doesn’t sound as if Wood is preparing for his exit.

According to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, Wood expressed this week that he believes the Rockets are capable of taking a real step forward in 2022/23 after finishing with the NBA’s worst record in each of the last two seasons. He also said he has spoken to the team about a possible contract extension.

“I just want to win, try to get to the playoffs,” Wood said when asked if he wants to remain in Houston. “I haven’t been to the playoffs yet in my career. That’s what I’m focused on.”

Wood could sign an extension worth up to about $77MM over four years this summer. However, doing so would make him ineligible to be traded for six months. If he preferred to maintain his trade eligibility while signing an extension, he’d be limited to a deal worth up to $31.3MM over two years.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Spurs are one of the teams mentioned consistently as a potential trade partner for the Raptors if Toronto moves OG Anunoby, writes Matt Moore of Action Network. The Raptors were frequently cited as possible suitors for San Antonio center Jakob Poeltl prior to the 2022 deadline, but seem unlikely to part with Anunoby in a deal for Poeltl.
The Pelicans have received some calls about the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft and are open to listening to offers for it, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. New Orleans unexpectedly received that Lakers pick due to L.A.’s dismal season — it would have gone to Memphis if it had landed outside of the top 10.
William Guillory of The Athletic considers what a Zion Williamson contract extension might look like and explores the role the former No. 1 overall pick could play with the Pelicans next season, while Christian Clark of NOLA.com takes a look at five Pelicans offseason storylines to monitor, starting with a possible extension for Williamson.

Griffin ‘Confident’ Of Signing Zion To Max Extension

June 9th, 2022 at 6:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Appearing on a podcast with Ryen Russillo of The Ringer, Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin expressed confidence in signing Zion Williamson to a maximum-salary extension this offseason, though Griffin hinted the club will seek protections in the contract due to Williamson’s injury history.

“We feel really confident he wants to be here and we’re equally confident we can come to an agreement,” Griffin said.

Williamson expressed in his postseason press conference that he’s eager to sign long-term with the franchise after the team made a late run to reach the postseason. Griffin says it’s essentially a no-brainer he’ll get a max offer, which would be five years and at least $182MM.

“It was really comforting when he did his media availability in the postseason and said how much he buys into this,” Griffin said.

No player eligible for a rookie scale extension has ever turned down a maximum-salary offer, but given that Williamson missed the entire 2021/22 season due to a foot injury and has appeared in just 85 games since entering the league in 2019, the club may seek protections within the deal.

“It’s not a big decision. It’s a pretty easy decision,” Griffin said. “This is a max player. That’s easy. The kid is historically good when he plays. … What becomes significant with a team that’s a small market team and team that can’t make mistakes in terms of injuries over time, you have to indemnify yourself in some way.”

A report late last month suggested that ownership was reluctant to give Williamson a fully guaranteed max deal.

That would follow the lead of Philadelphia when Joel Embiid was eligible for his rookie scale extension. His five-year, maximum-salary extension included an injury protection for the franchise.

Griffin also addressed two other hot topics related to Williamson. He called the notion that there was a disconnect between the Pelicans and Williamson during his injury rehab “complete nonsense” driven by social media. “There was never a time when we were in the dark on Zion,” he said.

He also said Williamson was simply not healthy enough to suit up after he suffered an early-season setback. “The kid’s bone didn’t heal,” Griffin said.

Additionally, he noted that Williamson, who was cleared of any restrictions regarding his injury last month, has remained in town.

“He’s literally in our gym every day right now,” Griffin said.

Draft Notes: Hardy, Braun, Roddy, Pistons, Ivey

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

Speaking to reporters after working out for Washington on Tuesday, G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy said he has already worked out for the Warriors, Bucks, Timberwolves, and Thunder, and has auditions on tap with the Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, and Pelicans (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic). Viewed as a good bet to be a first-round pick, Hardy currently ranks 22nd overall on ESPN’s big board.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

Kansas shooting guard Christian Braun, the No. 30 prospect on ESPN’s board, has worked out for the Bucks, Clippers, and Magic, and had a visit scheduled with the Grizzlies this week, tweets Andrew Lind. Those four teams each have at least one pick between No. 22 and No. 43 in this year’s draft.
Colorado State forward David Roddy, ESPN’s No. 46 prospect, had a meet and greet with Nuggets staffers a month ago and was brought back for a workout with the team on Tuesday, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. Asked if he senses interest from the Nuggets, Roddy replied, “I would say so. Everybody’s a fan of my game here. They’ve told me that.” Roddy has also worked out for several other teams, including the Warriors and Raptors, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).
David Aldridge of The Athletic spoke to a handful of coaches and executives at the college and NBA levels to get their thoughts on several of the top guards in the 2022 draft class, including Jaden Ivey, Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels, Johnny Davis, and several others. One Eastern Conference executive told Aldridge that he knows the Pistons – who hold the No. 5 overall pick – “love” Ivey.

Draft Rumors: Magic, Smith, Pacers, Sharpe, Jovic, More

June 6th, 2022 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Echoing what ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported last month, Jeremy Woo of SI.com says the “general expectation” around the league is that Jabari Smith is the favorite to be picked first overall by the Magic in the 2022 NBA draft. Woo notes that Orlando is doing its due diligence on several prospects at the top of this year’s draft class, but his “gut feeling” is that the team will ultimately land on Smith.

Woo’s latest mock draft for SI.com includes several other interesting tidbits. Here are a few highlights:

Keegan Murray and Jaden Ivey are the two prospects most frequently linked to the Pacers by rival teams, though it’s unclear if either of them will still be available when Indiana picks at No. 6, Woo writes, adding that No. 6 appears to be Murray’s floor.
Shaedon Sharpe earned some buzz at last month’s draft combine, but “some of that excitement has turned to trepidation” since teams left Chicago, according to Woo who suggests that Sharpe’s individual workouts will go a long way toward determining how he’s regarded by lottery teams.
Woo has heard that Serbian wing Nikola Jovic would like to come to the NBA right away, so he won’t necessarily be a draft-and-stash pick.
Some people around the NBA believe the Thunder may look to package their No. 12 pick and a future pick or two to acquire a second top-10 selection, says Woo. Oklahoma City also controls the second overall pick.
Rival teams believe the Knicks will likely target a point guard or a big man at No. 11, per Woo, who believes it’s possible both Mark Williams and Jalen Duren will be available at that spot. TyTy Washington‘s name has also come up in Woo’s conversations as a player to watch at No. 11.Washington worked out on Monday for the Knicks and told reporters, including Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that he also workouts on tap with the Pelicans (No. 8), Spurs (No. 9), Wizards (No. 10), and Cavaliers (No. 14).

Dyson Daniels Visits Over Weekend

June 4th, 2022 at 11:13am CST by Dana Gauruder

Dyson Daniels is visiting the Pelicans this weekend, Jake Madison of the New Orleans Times-Picayune tweets. Daniels is currently ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s Best Available list and New Orleans holds the No. 8 pick.
Speaking of that pick, if the Pelicans decide to move it for a quality veteran, who would such a trade entail? William Guillory of The Athletic breaks down scenarios in which they acquire Deandre Ayton, Joe Harris and Myles Turner in hypothetical deals involving the lottery pick.

2022 NBA Offseason Preview: New Orleans Pelicans

June 2nd, 2022 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans‘ 2021/22 season began on a sour note, as the team revealed at the start of training camp that Zion Williamson was recovering from offseason foot surgery, then proceeded to get off to a 1-12 start in the regular season.

Williamson experienced multiple setbacks in his rehab process and ultimately sat out the entire season, but the Pelicans turned their year around without him. Steady production from vets like Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas, along with impressive contributions from rookies Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado, helped New Orleans climb back into play-in contention by the trade deadline, at which point the club took a big swing and acquired CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. from Portland.

Nance spent most of the rest of the season recovering from knee surgery, but McCollum thrived in New Orleans, emerging as the team’s leading scorer in the second half and helping to lead the Pelicans to the play-in tournament, where they won a pair of do-or-die contests and earned the No. 8 seed. They even gave the 64-win Suns a scare in the first round, pushing the series to six games.

Given how well they played even without the former No. 1 overall pick available, the Pelicans have reason to be bullish about their future. With Williamson on track to return next season and an excess of valuable future draft assets – including this year’s No. 8 overall pick – still available, New Orleans appears to be on the rise.

The Pelicans’ Offseason Plan:

Few teams have as little work to do on their 2022/23 roster as the Pelicans. Of the 15 players who finished the season on standard deals with New Orleans, 14 are under contract for next season. The only free agent, Tony Snell, probably isn’t part of the team’s plans going forward.

That doesn’t mean the front office can just sit back and enjoy a lengthy summer vacation, of course. The Pelicans still have a handful of big decisions to make, starting with how aggressively to pursue an offseason extension for Williamson.

No player has ever turned down a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension, and Zion probably won’t become the first. But the Pelicans likely won’t feel comfortable putting that offer on the table, even if Williamson’s on-court performance warrants it. He has simply missed too much time due to injuries in his first three seasons for the team to be confident that he’ll be healthy going forward. So it’s no surprise that team ownership is reportedly reluctant to offer a fully guaranteed max deal.

The most obvious – and most frequent – comparison for Williamson is Joel Embiid, who signed a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension with Philadelphia after appearing in just 31 games across his first three NBA seasons. That contract included injury protection language, giving the Sixers an exit ramp to waive Embiid and save nearly half his full guarantee if he continued to battle the types of injuries that sidelined him in his first three years.

On the surface, a similar arrangement makes sense for Williamson and the Pelicans. As long as Zion doesn’t continue to suffer major injuries, there’s no reason New Orleans would want to cut him, so he’d have a good chance to earn his full guarantee and max out his earnings. In the worst-case scenario, if his career is derailed by injuries, he could still potentially secure upwards of $80-100MM if the Pelicans are willing to guarantee half the contract.

As logical as that compromise may be, it’s a fine line to walk for the Pelicans, who have heard whispers ever since drafting Williamson in 2019 that he might not want to remain in New Orleans long-term. While Zion himself has never suggested he wants to be anywhere else, the franchise won’t want to risk alienating him by low-balling him in terms of guaranteed money.

There’s no doubt that trade speculation will begin to heat up if the Pelicans and Williamson can’t work out an agreement this summer, but the team should be prepared to exercise patience. Zion is under contract for next season and would be a restricted free agent in 2023, so New Orleans still controls this process. Unless Williamson makes a nuclear, Ben Simmons-esque trade demand, there will be plenty of time beyond this offseason for the two sides to find a resolution — and plenty of time for Zion to get back on the court and boost his trade value, if he eventually decides he wants out.

Outside of Williamson, three other Pelicans are eligible for extensions this offseason: McCollum, Nance, and Jaxson Hayes.

McCollum is under contract for two more seasons, so I wouldn’t expect the club to approach those negotiations with tremendous urgency. I’d also be a little surprised to see Hayes get a new deal — he did well as a power forward alongside Valanciunas this season, but the team will still want to see how he fits in once Williamson is back, and his legal issues complicate matters. Nance could actually be the best candidate of the three for an extension, given his track record, his versatility, and his reasonable price point.

The Pelicans also figure to explore the trade market in search of an upgrade on the wing or in the backcourt. Devonte’ Graham received a four-year commitment from New Orleans just last summer, but had an up-and-down season and saw his role change following the acquisition of McCollum and emergence of Alvarado. He’ll likely be expendable in the right deal.

Of course, the No. 8 overall pick, which the Pelicans acquired from the Lakers, will be a fascinating asset to monitor. New Orleans should be able to secure a pretty talented prospect at that spot in the lottery if the team hangs onto the pick, but it would also be a valuable trade chip to attach to Graham and/or other veterans on the trade market.

My best guess for now is that the Pelicans would rather hang onto that pick and add one more promising youngster to their core while dipping into their stash of future first-rounders for any win-now trades. But if the right player is attainable on the trade market, the front office should be willing to let the No. 8 selection go.

Salary Cap Situation

Note: Our salary cap figures are based on the league’s latest projection ($122MM) for 2022/23.

Guaranteed Salary

CJ McCollum ($33,333,333)
Brandon Ingram ($31,650,600)
Jonas Valanciunas ($14,700,000)
Zion Williamson ($13,534,817)
Devonte’ Graham ($11,550,000)
Larry Nance Jr. ($9,672,727)
Jaxson Hayes ($6,803,012)
Garrett Temple ($5,155,500)
Kira Lewis ($4,004,280)
Trey Murphy ($3,206,520)
Willy Hernangomez ($2,443,581)
Herbert Jones ($1,785,000)
Naji Marshall ($1,782,621)
Jose Alvarado ($1,100,000) — Partial guarantee. Rest of salary is noted in non-guaranteed section below.
Total: $140,721,991

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Jose Alvarado ($463,518)
Total: $463,518

Restricted Free Agents

None

Two-Way Free Agents

Gary Clark ($1,941,833 qualifying offer / $1,941,833 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Jared Harper ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Total (cap holds): $3,557,877

Draft Picks

No. 8 overall pick ($5,434,920)
No. 41 overall pick (no cap hold)
No. 52 overall pick (no cap hold)
Total: $5,434,920

Extension-Eligible Players

Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2022/23 season begins.

Jaxson Hayes (rookie scale)
CJ McCollum (veteran)
Larry Nance Jr. (veteran)
Zion Williamson (rookie scale)

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Tony Snell ($1,811,516 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
James Nunnally ($1,616,044 cap hold): Non-Bird rights ¹
Total: $3,427,560

Offseason Cap Outlook

With about $141MM in guaranteed salary on their books for next season (assuming Alvarado returns, which is a lock), the Pelicans will be far beyond the projected $122MM cap and are starting to approach the $149MM luxury tax line.

They’ll have to keep that tax cutoff in mind when they consider possible trades and weigh how to fill their final roster spot. Simply bringing back their 14 players currently under contract and using the No. 8 pick on a 15th man would leave them with $2MM+ in breathing room below the tax line.

Cap Exceptions Available

Taxpayer mid-level exception: $6,392,000 ²
Trade exception: $6,382,262
Trade exception: $1,786,878

Footnotes

The cap hold for Nunnally remain on the Pelicans’ books from a prior season because he hasn’t been renounced. He can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
This is a projected value. The Pelicans could instead have access to the full mid-level exception ($10,349,000) and bi-annual exception ($4,050,000) if they remain below the tax apron.

Salary and cap information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

CJ McCollum Joins ESPN As NBA Analyst

May 30th, 2022 at 5:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Draymond Green joined Turner Sports on a multi-year deal in January. Another prominent active player is following in his footsteps.

Pelicans guard CJ McCollum has joined ESPN as a multi-platform NBA analyst, the broadcasting giant announced in a press release.

His new responsibilities will begin on Thursday, coinciding with Game 1 of the Finals. McCollum, the current NBPA President, will appear as part of NBA Finals: Celebrating 75, ESPN2’s alternate presentation for Game 1.

McCollum will work with ESPN to develop a new podcast, Joe Reedy of The Associated Press relays. He will also be an analyst on games during coverage of the NBA Summer League as well as some appearances on studio shows throughout the year.

“It is my honor to be joining the ESPN family in this new role and I am excited to bring what I feel is my unique perspective, based on my vast knowledge of the game that I’ve gained during my nine years as a player in the NBA,” McCollum said. “To have an opportunity to put my journalism background to use on the largest stage with the many talented professionals at ESPN is a dream come true.”

Numerous current WNBA players have appeared on ESPN in a variety of roles, including Los Angeles Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike, who has been working for the network since 2018.

McCollum gives the network a prominent and outspoken presence on its NBA broadcasts.

David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of NBA and Studio Production, said in a statement, “CJ is one of the most respected players in the NBA, which is evident by his role as President of the NBA PA. Furthermore, he’s an extremely talented member of – and leader on – one of the most interesting teams in the league: the New Orleans Pelicans. CJ’s commitment to this opportunity, combined with his passion for journalism and sports broadcasting, will be a clear benefit for NBA fans.”

Pelicans Ownership Reluctant To Offer Zion Fully Guaranteed Extension

May 30th, 2022 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

During his end-of-season media session last month, Zion Williamson expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of signing a long-term contract extension with the Pelicans this offseason.

However, a fully guaranteed maximum-salary offer is unlikely to be on the table for Williamson, according to Brian Windhorst, who said on ESPN’s Get Up (video link) that team ownership is expected to seek protections in any extension agreement.

“From what I have been told, the Pelicans at this point are not willing to offer a full five-year guaranteed deal,” Windhorst said (hat tip to RealGM). “And a lot of it is flowing down from ownership. Gayle Benson, the owner, is also the owner of the New Orleans Saints and I have been told they are going to take a football-style, Saints-style mentality with this contract negotiation. They will offer him a huge contract, but will not guarantee all of it.

“If Zion accepts those terms and still protects himself and maybe gets $100-plus million guaranteed, he signs it and everything’s fine. If he doesn’t sign it and wants the full thing guaranteed, we could have some drama into the fall.”

A former No. 1 overall pick, Williamson missed the entire 2021/22 season while recovering from right foot surgery and has appeared in just 85 career games since entering the NBA in 2019. The 21-year-old has played at an All-Star level when healthy, averaging 25.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 3.2 APG in 31.7 minutes per contest.

Williamson’s situation has frequently been likened to the one Joel Embiid was in following his third year with the Sixers, a comparison Windhorst invoked during his appearance on Get Up.

Following Embiid’s third season, injuries had limited him to just 31 career games, but Philadelphia was confident enough in his superstar potential to offer him a five-year, maximum-salary extension that included injury protection. The deal was worth $146.45MM, but would have been guaranteed for as little as $84.2MM if Embiid sustained a “contractually agreed upon injury” and the 76ers waived him. Embiid, of course, stayed healthy enough and played at such a high level that the Sixers never considered the possibility of letting him go.

The Pelicans could take a similar route with Williamson, offering him a maximum-salary contract that includes a substantial guarantee while also giving the team an out if he continues to be impacted by injuries. As Windhorst notes, it remains to be seen whether Zion would be willing to accept such an offer now that he no longer has any restrictions related to his foot surgery.

While Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin figures to take the lead on negotiations with Williamson, Windhorst stresses that the desire to reduce the team’s risk is being driven more by the club’s owners than by the front office.

“From what I understand, it’s not even about the Pelicans, it’s about ownership,” Windhorst said. “It’s about them saying, “Look, we have to make decisions on football players all the time that we’re worried about their injuries. We’ll guarantee them a certain amount of money and if they play, they can have all the money.’ And that’s what’s going to be presented.”

How Will Zion Fit In With Current Roster?

May 28th, 2022 at 9:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

Zion Williamson no longer has any restrictions from his foot injury. So how will he fit in with a Pelicans team that showed vast improvement in the second half of the season? Will Guillory of The Athletic takes a closer look at that topic.

Draft Notes: Ivey, Murray, Sharpe, Daniels, Roddy, Minott, Segu

May 26th, 2022 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero are the consensus top three prospects in this year’s draft, it’s rare that the top three picks in a draft end up being the three players who enjoy the best pro careers, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz.

The ESPN duo identifies Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe and Dyson Daniels as the other prospects who are the best bets to emerge as top-three players from the 2022 draft class, breaking down the strengths of that quartet and considering which lottery teams might benefit the most from their talents.

We have plenty of draft-related news to pass along:

Colorado State’s David Roddy has worked out for the Magic, Nuggets and Rockets, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The power forward is ranked No. 47 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Memphis forward Josh Minott has workouts lined up with the Magic, Raptors, Hawks, Spurs, Bulls and Hornets, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets. Minott is ranked No. 48 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Buffalo guard Ronaldo Segu will continue to pursue professional opportunities and forgo his remaining year of college eligibility, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. He averaged 14.9 PPG and 5.1 APG last season.
Nathan Mensah is withdrawing from the draft and returning to San Diego State, the school announced in a press release. Mensah is the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Josh Mballa is pulling out of the draft and transferring from Buffalo to Ole Miss, Jeff Goodman tweets. Mballa averaged 13.0 PPG and 8.6 RPG last season.
Texas Tech guard Adonis Arms has workouts scheduled with the Nuggets, Pistons, Pelicans, Magic and Jazz, Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets.
Northern Colorado’s Bodie Hume will remain in the draft, Rothstein adds in another tweet. The senior forward averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season.
Potential top-10 selection Johnny Davis wants to model his game after Devin Booker. Another potential top-10 pick, Daniels, believes he’s a combination of Tyrese Haliburton offensively and Alex Caruso or Lonzo Ball defensively. Numerous draft prospects told The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov which NBA players they most closely resemble or strive to be.