SATURDAY, 2:07pm: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.
FRIDAY, 12:48pm: The Pelicans will sign Tim Frazier to a contract that runs through season’s end, GM Dell Demps told reporters, including Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate (Twitter link). Today is the last day of Frazier’s 10-day contract, and the plan is for the team to re-sign Frazier on Saturday, The Advocate’s Brett Dawson relays (on Twitter). Frazier joined the Pelicans on a hardship exception and is one of 17 players on the roster, including Jordan Hamilton, who signed a 10-day contract today. The league normally hands out hardships in 10-day intervals, which would seemingly prevent the team from signing Frazier for the rest of the season unless it offloads other players first, but with five New Orleans players out for the balance of 2015/16, it appears the league has seen fit to bend its policy.
Frazier has delivered a strong performance for the depleted Pelicans, averaging 14.6 points, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game. His 3.2 turnovers per contest are disconcerting, but it’s tough to quibble with the numbers the second-year pro has put up in his brief time with New Orleans since inking the 10-day contract March 16th. The 25-year-old point guard didn’t have the same sort of opportunities with Portland earlier this season, when he saw just 7.8 minutes a night, but Frazier showed glimpses of his capabilities last year, when he averaged 5.5 assists and 2.3 turnovers in 21.7 minutes per game across 11 total appearances for the Blazers and Sixers.
Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans, Quincy Pondexter and Bryce Dejean-Jones are the Pelicans expected to miss the rest of the season, while Norris Cole, Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson have also been dealing with injuries, according to the CBSSports.com injury report. Toney Douglas has been starting at the point with Frazier backing him up.
The Pelicans still have portions of their mid-level and biannual exceptions remaining, so it’s unclear what Frazier will make. Frazier would see at least $94,448, the prorated minimum salary, if he formally signs Saturday.
It’s good to see a player like Frazier take advantage of an opportunity. He has earned his money.