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Pelicans Notes: Ingram, Centers, Williamson, Alvarado

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

It has become increasingly rare for a star player on an NBA team to go through the offseason prior to his contract year without being extended or traded, but that’s the situation that Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram finds himself in this fall.

As Christian Clark of NOLA.com writes, Ingram – who will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if he doesn’t sign a new contract before July – was asked this week about the possibility of signing a preseason extension. The former All-Star said he doesn’t “expect anything” and that he’s happy to focus on basketball.

“Me and (Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin) have had some conversations, a few conversations,” Ingram said on Monday at media day. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business. As long as I do the basketball part, the business is going to handle itself — whether it’s here or somewhere else. I just have to continue to put the work in.”

Griffin acknowledged that the situation has the potential to get awkward, but he expressed confidence that it won’t be a distraction for Ingram or the Pelicans due to the trust the two sides have in one another.

“The reason people don’t get into this situation is there is not a level of trust between the two parties that he could enter the year and perform at a high level and be about the right things and we would honor our commitment to him,” Griffin said, per Clark. “Neither party has that fear. It’s going to be a unique situation. I know what it’s supposed to look like is one thing or another. We’re not worried about that. He’s a really unique guy with a unique skill set.”

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

  • Although Ingram returned at the end of last season from the knee injury that sidelined him for 12 games, he admitted he wasn’t at full strength during the playoffs and that it took a while for him to get back to 100%. “Gone through some ups and downs trying to get the knee back healthy,” Ingram said, according to Clark. “It actually was a long summer trying to get the knee back healthy. I’ve been working out hard. Working out at 100%. I’m ready to go.” Griffin explained Ingram’s absence from a voluntary mini-camp in August by telling reporters, “(He) wasn’t ready for that physically, and he knew it.”
  • With Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. no longer on the roster, the Pelicans’ new group of centers is made up of journeyman Daniel Theis and rookies Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. There will be plenty of instances during the season when none of those bigs are on the floor for New Orleans, according to head coach Willie Green. “I’m not dead set on (starting a true center). I’m pretty undecided,” Green said (story via Will Guillory of The Athletic). “When we get to camp, I think your team helps you make those decisions. … There are going to be a ton of games when we don’t have a traditional center on the floor.”
  • While Zion Williamson will be the biggest player on the court in certain Pelicans lineups, Griffin pushed back against labeling the former Duke star a small-ball center, per Guillory. “Zion grew up a point guard. He grew up with the ball in his hands. He literally identifies the game by facing the basket and handling the ball,” Griffin said. “He’s never been traditional as a big in any way, shape or form. And yet, because he’s large, people want to make him a ‘big.’ He’s really not that.”
  • Taking more jump shots will be a priority for Zion this season, Griffin told reporters, including Clark. Williamson is on board with that plan, though he stressed that he’s not just focused on continuing to develop his offensive game and wants to make a real impact on defense too. “Whenever I’m in great condition, I feel like my play on both ends of the floor is at a high level,” Williamson said. “Not just one.”
  • In case you missed it, Jose Alvarado‘s two-year, $9MM contract extension with the Pelicans is now official. It features a flat structure, with a $4.5MM guaranteed salary in 2025/26 and a $4.5MM player option for ’26/27, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.
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Southwest Notes: Zion, Wembanyama, Grizzlies, Griffin

September 30th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Zion Williamson was headed toward the defining moment of his NBA career in April before another injury knocked him out of action, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. The Pelicans star had just scored his 40th point to complete an 18-point comeback and tie the Lakers late in their play-in game when he felt a jolt of pain in his left hamstring. Williamson’s season was over, and although New Orleans still made the playoffs, its first-round series ended with a four-game sweep.

Feeling he had failed the team and the city, Williamson embarked on an intense early-morning workout schedule for the offseason, according to Guillory. Since July, in a small gym near Dallas, he has embraced his motivation to become one of the game’s elite players. He and the organization are finally on the same page after years of reported division, Guillory adds.

“I want to be one of them ones. I’ve been talking about it and I’ve been making mistakes (along the way),” Williamson said. “That stuff can’t happen. It’s time to take every game personal.”

Another sign of Williamson’s commitment was his decision to take part in the team’s voluntary August workouts in California for the first time in his career. He hoped to create a stronger bond with his teammates while improving his game in the process.

“(I want to) learn from (Brandon Ingram). Learn from CJ (McCollum). Learn from guys who have been in the league longer than me. Paying attention to their professionalism,” Williamson said. “Not even being a good teammate, just being a good brother. So when you get on the court, your teammates believe in you. They trust your work, and they trust that you’ve got them.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

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Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Zion, Luka, Washington, Rockets

September 20th, 2024 at 2:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Star point guard Ja Morant believes back-to-back college Player of the Year Zach Edey will have a strong debut season in the NBA, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Edey, who played four years at Purdue, was selected by the Grizzlies with the No. 9 overall pick in June’s draft.

“Definitely rookie of the year,” Morant said of his expectations for Edey. “I think easily, too.”

As Cole writes, Edey worked out with his new teammate earlier this summer and Morant came away impressed.

“For him to come in and say he wants to work out with me and then getting through the workout throughout the whole week, it was big-time for him,” Morant said. “It made me excited to have him on the team. His skill set is even much better.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

  • Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of last season, played nine games, and then suffered a shoulder injury which required season-ending surgery in January (Memphis went 6-3 with him and 21-52 without him). However, he was cleared for contact work in early July and is fully healthy ahead of training camp, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Morant estimated he was at 75% strength in late July. Fellow Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, who was limited to 20 games last season due to a litany of injuries, also makes ESPN’s list of key player returns to monitor for 2024/25, as does Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who is fully recovered from the left hamstring strain he suffered late last season, per Andrew Lopez.
  • Jack Tien-Dana of RealGM weighs the pros and cons of Mavericks star Luka Doncic being physically stronger and heavier than he was when he first came in the league, writing that the 25-year-old and Dallas will need to “reconcile a series of contradictions” to get the best out of the All-NBA guard deep in the playoffs.
  • In a subscriber-only story for his Substack, Dallas Hoops Journal, Grant Afseth says Mavericks forward P.J. Washington could be the team’s “X-factor” heading into 2024/25. In order to optimally complement Doncic and Dallas’ other starters, Washington will need to become a more consistent outside shooter, Afseth observes. Washington entered last season with a career mark of 36.6% from three-point range, but shot just 32.0% from beyond the arc in ’23/24.
  • The Rockets brought back Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday because they showed they could be productive when called upon last season despite having inconsistent roles, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). The two veterans are also valued for their leadership, Feigen notes. The Rockets opted to guarantee Green’s $8MM salary for 2024/25, while Holiday re-signed with Houston on two-year, $9.6MM deal in free agency.
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Western Notes: Williamson, Edwards, Durant, Timberwolves

August 18th, 2024 at 4:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zion Williamson is apparently keeping his weight down this offseason, a good sign for the Pelicans, Darryn Albert of LarryBrownSports.com relays.

Photos that surfaced online over the weekend show Williamson looking fit and trim at his basketball camp in Spartanburg, S.C. The Pelicans star appeared in a career-high 70 regular-season game last season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists. However, a left hamstring strain kept him out of the first-round playoff series against Oklahoma City, which the Thunder swept.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • Anthony Edwards had a little fun with his gold-medal winning Olympic teammate, Kevin Durant, during a ‘Fanatics Fest’ on Saturday. The Timberwolves knocked the Suns out of the postseason and Edwards, who played the starring role in that series, joked that he felt “bad” about it. “I am not going to lie. I felt bad a little bit, only because he is my favorite player of all-time,” he said, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net, “I did not want to send him home like that. It happened, man. I felt bad.” Rest assured, Edwards didn’t feel that bad about sending KD home this past spring.
  • There’s no doubt the league considers the Timberwolves one of the league’s most exciting and watchable teams, Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune opines. In the NBA schedule released on Thursday, the Timberwolves had the biggest increase in national TV appearances. They are set to make 18 appearances on ABC, TNT or ESPN and seven more on NBA TV. Among those appearances, they are playing on opening night, Christmas Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
  • The Mavericks have made a front office addition. Get the details here.
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Southwest Notes: Murray, Paul, Barnes, K. Thompson, Robinson, A. Thompson

July 11th, 2024 at 9:16am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans’ success next season will likely hinge on the partnership between newly acquired Dejounte Murray and incumbent franchise player Zion Williamson. Murray wants to make Williamson an ever bigger threat, according to Brett Martel of The Associated Press.

“I told him I’m going to push him,” said Murray, who was officially dealt to the Pelicans over the weekend. “If I see something I think he can be better at, if he sees something to me, we’re going to be open to that. … I’m excited to push him to the next level because there are a bunch of levels he can reach.”

Murray’s name was prominent in the rumor mill prior to last season’s trade deadline. He made it known through his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, that the Pelicans appealed to him.

“One of the things Rich said to us was, ‘You really need to go try to get Dejounte Murray,'” said Pelicans executive VP David Griffin, per Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “We sort of laughed. We said, ‘We tried to do that at the trade deadline. We weren’t able to make something happen that made sense for both sides.’ But when he shared for us the excitement Dejounte had for our situation, it was really an eye-opening thing. It was meaningful to us.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • After getting waived by the Warriors, Chris Paul chose the Spurs despite his lack of a championship ring. Paul will likely return to a starting role with San Antonio and that was a deciding factor, according to Andrew Lopez on ESPN. “I want to play more than anything,” he said. Newly-acquired Harrison Barnes had a 10% trade bonus that he waived in order to help facilitate the deal involving the Kings, Spurs and Bulls. Barnes called it “a pretty easy decision,” adding, “It’s funny, with the new CBA, the trade kicker became more of a play than I was expecting, but I think the opportunity just to come here and to be able play for Pop (Gregg Popovich) and play with this group I think is exciting.”
  • Klay Thompson said during his introductory press conference that the Mavericks are a perfect fit for him at this stage of his career, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com relays. “Whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world, sometimes change can spur greatness and a new change of scenery can do wonders,” Thompson said. “And I’m very grateful for my time at Golden State. But I just felt like moving on could re-energize me and do something special for the rest of my career. … When I was watching the Mavs make a run for the championship, I just saw myself fitting in really well with this team. They looked like they had fun playing with each other and they played for each other. That was very attractive for me. That’s really all I needed to see.”
  • Former Heat big man Orlando Robinson is on the Rockets’ Summer League roster, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Robinson was waived on July 7 before his $2.1MM contract became guaranteed. He cleared waivers on Tuesday. Robinson appeared in 36 contests for Miami in 2023/24, averaging 2.8 points on a .500/.533/.760 shooting line. Robinson also chipped in 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per night.
  • Rockets guard Amen Thompson, who is a member of the USA Select Team this summer, said Houston coach Ime Udoka is “reasonably hard” on his players, he told Sam Yip of HoopsHype. “He’s kind of similar to some coaches I’ve had in the past. The thing that’s different about him is he can get in the mix with us, like he’s a player,” he said. “I’ve never had a coach that played in the NBA. When he talks, I gotta listen because he’s been there. He’s reasonably hard on everybody. He doesn’t go crazy, but he’s reasonably hard.”
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Trade Rumors: Wiggins, Warriors, Rockets, Ingram, Kings, Jazz

June 28th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Wiggins is no longer in the mix for the Canadian national team this summer, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto (Twitter link), who says the Warriors are “playing hardball” with a player they are “looking to move.”

Wiggins was insured and medically cleared by Canada Basketball, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but it sounds like the Warriors don’t want to risk his health during trade negotiations after he dealt with an ankle issue last season. While Grange says the veteran forward isn’t thrilled about the decision, Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) refers to it as a mutual one.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Wiggins is one of several Warriors veterans who is considered a potential outgoing piece if Golden State makes a major deal. Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II fall into that category, as does Chris Paul, whose $30MM salary remains non-guaranteed for the time being. The Warriors’ decision on Paul’s non-guaranteed salary is due on Friday, but it’s possible the team will give him a partial guarantee in exchange for pushing back that deadline, says Fischer.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • While some trade rumors earlier this week linked Kevin Durant to Houston, the Rockets are more interested in pursuing younger trade targets whose timeline matches up better with their core, according to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Amick and Slater name Suns guard Devin Booker, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as some players who would fit that bill for Houston, acknowledging that there’s no indication any of those players will be available this summer.
  • Exploring potential trade partners for the Pelicans and forward Brandon Ingram, Fischer mentions the Kings, Sixers, Hawks, and Cavaliers as possibilities. However, he says that Atlanta and New Orleans haven’t had substantive discussions since talking about Dejounte Murray in February, while Cleveland remains reluctant to part with any of its four core players, including potential Pels target Jarrett Allen. It’s also unclear how high Ingram ranks on Philadelphia’s list of possible targets, Fischer adds. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been in the market for help on the wing this offseason, though Fischer doesn’t explicitly say the Kings have talked to New Orleans about Ingram.
  • Although rival teams are expected to continue calling to register interest in Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz‘s goal continues to be extending the veteran forward and acquiring another star to complement him, Fischer writes. Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a similar sentiment during ESPN’s draft broadcast this week. Utah talked to the Hawks about Murray in February and also expressed interest in Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York, says Fischer.
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Southwest Notes: Castle, Spurs, Pelicans, T. Allen, Grizzlies

May 24th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Rory Maher

Stephon Castle, a projected lottery pick who is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s best available prospects list, has been telling NBA teams he wants to play point guard after primarily playing off the ball at UConn, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link).

“I feel my true position is point guard, and I feel the last few months I had to sacrifice for the betterment of the team,” Castle said. “It worked out for us, so it’s not anything to harp on or be bitter about.”

As Orborn writes, while Castle struggled with his shot at times in college, converting just 26.7% of his three-pointers, he brings plenty of attributes the Spurs look for in prospects, with plus size (he’s 6’6″ with a 6’9″ wingspan and weighs 210 pounds), all-around versatility, and strong defense. The Spurs also have a noteworthy void at point guard, with Tre Jones the only true floor general on the roster.

San Antonio controls two lottery picks, Nos. 4 and 8, and the team is indeed believed to be interested in Castle, league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“I’m more of a two-way point guard,” Castle said, per Orsborn. “I really like to pass the ball. And I like to shoot off the dribble a lot. That’s what my game really consists of, being on the ball, getting my teammates involved, scoring whenever I need to and defending at a high level.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

  • Should the Spurs draft Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard with one of their two lottery picks? LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com explores that question, writing that Sheppard has plenty of desirable attributes, including excellent shooting and strong play-making on defense, but his lack of length might be a turn-off for the team. Sheppard is No. 4 on ESPN’s board.
  • The Pelicans have elected to part ways with assistant athletic trainer Jana Austin, who has been with the team since 2020, league sources tell Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune. A former Nets employee, Austin worked closely with star forward Zion Williamson, according to Clark.
  • In an interview with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, former defensive ace Tony Allen says having his No. 9 jersey retired next season is a “dream come true.” “This is every hooper’s dream and I’m very thankful,” Allen said. “Big shout out to the Grizzlies for always holding it down for me. Embracing me. Acknowledging the fact that I struck a match to the organization with my phrase ‘Grit-n-Grind’ and that lives forever.” Memphis originally planned to retire Allen’s number during the 2021/22 season, but the veteran guard asked the team to postpone the ceremony due to his legal issues.
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2023/24 All-NBA Teams Announced

May 22nd, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The All-NBA teams have been announced for the 2023/24 season (Twitter link).

A total of 99 media members voted on the honors, with players receiving five points for a First Team vote, three points for a Second Team vote and one point for a Third Team vote. This year’s All-NBA teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic were the only two unanimous First Team selections, receiving 99 of 99 possible votes. Doncic earned 98 First Team votes but was named to the Second Team on one ballot. Antetokounmpo (88), Tatum (65), Brunson (37), Edwards (3), and Durant (2) were the only other players to receive multiple First Team votes.

Others receiving votes and their point totals are the Celtics‘ Jaylen Brown (50), the Clippers‘ Paul George (16), the Sixers‘ Tyrese Maxey (16), the Timberwolves‘ Rudy Gobert (12), the Spurs‘ Victor Wembanyama (11), the Pelicans‘ Zion Williamson (11), the Magic’s Paolo Banchero (10), the Kings‘ De’Aaron Fox (9) the Heat’s Bam Adebayo (7) and the Bulls‘ DeMar DeRozan (1).

This is the first season that a minimum number of games was required to qualify for most postseason awards under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Among the stars who might have received All-NBA consideration if they had reached the 65-game threshold are Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was the 2023 MVP, along with Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Knicks forward Julius Randle and Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis.

This was also the first season that voting for the All-NBA team was positionless, though that didn’t have a huge impact on the results, as the top two teams still feature two guards, a pair of forwards, and a center. The Third Team is made up a center, three guards, and just one forward.

Wembanyama, who received two votes for the Second Team and five for the Third Team, was the only rookie named on any of the ballots. Earlier this week, he became the first rookie to earn a spot on an All-Defensive First Team.

The Lakers with Davis and James and the Suns with Durant and Booker were the only teams to have multiple players honored. They were both eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Several players became eligible for salary increases or earned a bonus by achieving All-NBA honors. Read more here.

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Pelicans Reportedly Not Willing To Give Ingram Max Extension

May 12th, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans are entering a critical offseason, with former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $36MM in 2024/25.

According to Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune (subscription required), New Orleans tentatively plans to supplement the trio of Ingram, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson with “better-fitting pieces.”

However, despite having an overall net rating of +4.6 during the regular season, the Pelicans were outscored when their three top scorers shared the court together, Clark writes, and there is a chance at least one of them could be traded.

As of July 1, Ingram will be eligible a four-year, maximum-salary extension projected to be worth $200MM+. While the Pelicans are “open” to the possibility of tacking more years onto his current deal, they are not willing to give him a full max contract, sources tell Clark.

Clark compares Ingram to Zach LaVine, noting that both players have put up strong individual statistics on offense but have missed extended time with injuries throughout their careers. Chicago tried — unsuccessfully — to move LaVine’s max deal during the season, and will reportedly try again this offseason.

According to Clark, if the Pelicans can’t work out an extension with Ingram, they “likely will trade him.” That aligns with previous reporting that Ingram is the “most likely” Pelican to be on the move this summer. Clark points to the Cavaliers and Hawks as teams that might be interested in the 26-year-old.

Clark wonders if New Orleans might be able to acquire Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen from Cleveland for Ingram. I don’t see any world where the Cavs trade Mobley for Ingram, but Allen isn’t far-fetched. Still, Cleveland has its own upcoming financial squeeze, and adding Ingram would only further complicate that situation — Allen is owed far less money ($40MM) over the next two seasons.

The NBA draft lottery is today, but the Pelicans won’t be impacted by that drawing. They do, however, have until June 1 to decide whether they want to keep the No. 17 overall pick (via the Lakers) or instead acquire the Lakers’ unprotected 2025 first-round pick. As of now, Clark hears that New Orleans is inclined to defer the selection, though that isn’t set in stone.

If the Pels do keep the No. 17 pick, Clark says they would likely flip it in a trade. New Orleans also controls the No. 21 overall pick, and Clark is highly skeptical the team would actually keep two first-rounders on a roster that is trying to win right now.

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Pelicans Rumors: Zion, Ingram, Hawkins, Murphy, More

May 10th, 2024 at 2:39pm CST by Rory Maher

After being swept in the first round of the playoffs, head of basketball operations David Griffin said at the end of last month that the Pelicans are going to actively look to improve this summer. Those comments drew plenty of attention from rival executives, Michael Scotto told William Guillory of The Athletic on the latest HoopsHype podcast.

Scotto hears New Orleans plans to build around Zion Williamson and the Pelicans will be looking for “positional upgrades to improve their spacing” around the former No. 1 overall pick. Guillory confirms the team was pleased with Williamson’s progress — both on and off the court — particularly in the second half of the season.

Rival front offices view Brandon Ingram as the “most likely” Pelican to be dealt this offseason, per Scotto. As Scotto notes, Ingram is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $36MM in 2024/25.

According to Guillory, if Ingram were to hit unrestricted free agency in 2025, he would likely receive a max or near-max deal, which is what his camp would almost certainly be seeking in a potential extension. Still, trading Ingram after he was hampered by a knee injury and struggled mightily in the postseason isn’t ideal from a value perspective, so it’s challenging to come up with deals that make sense for New Orleans, Guillory observes.

Here’s more on the Pelicans from Scotto and Guillory:

  • Aside from finances, one of the reasons the Pelicans may be open to moving Ingram is they want to get more playing time for a pair of high-volume floor spacers in Jordan Hawkins and Trey Murphy, according to Scotto. Hawkins struggled to crack the rotation in the second half of his rookie campaign due to the team’s backcourt depth and his defensive shortcomings, Guillory notes, but the team remains high on his upside.
  • As for Murphy, he’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, and Scotto believes the North Carolina native will be seeking a deal for at least $25MM annually, pointing to the contracts Devin Vassell and Jaden McDaniels signed last offseason as “starting points.” Guillory thinks the team would prefer to extend Murphy before next season begins rather than waiting until restricted free agency in 2025.
  • Scotto expressed skepticism that CJ McCollum will be traded due to his leadership and professionalism, and Guillory has heard similarly, stating that the 32-year-old guard likely has more value to the Pelicans than rival teams. McCollum also set a franchise record for three-pointers made in ’23/24, Guillory notes, so he’s certainly capable of spacing the floor.
  • There’s an expectation that Jonas Valanciunas will likely sign with a new team in free agency, per Scotto. Guillory says he’d be “pretty surprised” if the Lithuanian center returned to New Orleans after he was benched at times down the stretch of the season. While he wasn’t an ideal fit with Williamson, Valanciunas should have some value on the open market, Guillory adds, since he remains productive and has been quite durable throughout his career.
  • Another free agent who could be on the move is Naji Marshall, with Guillory stating the team is “pretty much sold that he’s leaving” due to financial reasons. The 26-year-old wing shot a career-best 38.7% from three, is a solid defender, and is one of the few Pelicans who played well in the postseason, so he’ll be a name to watch in free agency, Guillory notes.
  • While the Pelicans could decline their team option on Jose Alvarado to make him a restricted free agent, Guillory doesn’t think that will happen. Alvarado is “very motivated” to stay with New Orleans, but Guillory suggests the team will likely wait a year before deciding what to do with him.
  • The Pelicans could also make some minor changes to their coaching staff, Scotto reports.
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