New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

Zion Williamson No Longer Has Restrictions From Foot Injury

May 26th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who missed the entire 2021/22 season while rehabbing a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot, has been cleared to play with no restrictions, the team announced in a press release.

Recent imaging of Williamson’s foot revealed “continued improvement,” the team said. The update is notable because the 21-year-old experienced multiple setbacks early in the season while attempting to return to action.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft, Williamson has been beset by injuries in his first three seasons, having appeared in just 85 of a possible 226 games. However, he’s been undeniably effective when active, holding career averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on .604/.333/.683 shooting in 31.7 minutes per contest.

As a former first-round pick entering his fourth season, Williamson is eligible for a five-year, $186MM rookie scale extension this summer, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Williamson expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of signing the extension at his end-of-season press conference last month.

It will be fascinating to see how New Orleans approaches the discussions with Williamson, as executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin admitted that the negotiations could prove to be “challenging.” The five-year, $186MM figure represents the maximum contract Williamson is eligible for, but it’s very possible the team could push for injury-related protection, with perhaps some of the money tied to games played, similar to the rookie extension Joel Embiid signed back in 2017.

Draft Notes: Sochan, Combine, Withdrawals, Davison

May 23rd, 2022 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans and Nuggets are among the teams believed to have interest in Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan, while the Spurs are viewed as a “strong fit” for him, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic writes in his recap of last week’s draft combine.

According to Vorkunov, one team executive put Sochan’s floor at the No. 12 pick, which means the Nuggets – who control No. 21 – would have to trade up if they want a shot at him. He’s far more likely to be available for the Pelicans (No. 8) or Spurs (No. 9).

Vorkunov’s article includes several more tidbits on the combine, including a look at some of the more outside-the-box questions teams asked in their interviews with prospects. According to Vorkunov, one club challenged Christian Braun to repeated staring contests, while the Nuggets told players during their meetings that if they could name enough players on the club’s roster, one of their team officials would do push-ups.

Here’s more on the 2022 NBA draft:

Jeremy Woo of SI.com shares his impressions of 15 prospects who attended the 2022 draft combine, focusing on probable lottery picks like Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels, and Sochan as well as less heralded players such as Marcus Sasser, Darius Days, and John Butler. Like ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Woo believes Daniels in particular boosted his stock at the combine.
Josiah-Jordan James (Tennessee), Tykei Greene (Stony Brook), Osayi Osifo (Jacksonville), and Eric Hunter Jr. (transferring from Purdue to Butler) are all withdrawing from the 2022 draft after declaring as early entrants, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (all links via Twitter). James is coming off his junior season, while the others are seniors who will use their extra year of NCAA eligibility in 2022/23.
Wisconsin’s Brad Davison and Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams are taking part in a workout today with the Nets, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who tweets that Davison previously worked out for the Hawks.

Kushner: Pelicans Playing With House Money With No. 8 Pick

May 20th, 2022 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans didn’t have much luck on lottery night on Tuesday, but they’re already playing with house money by virtue of receiving the Lakers’ first-round pick at No. 8 overall, writes Scott Kushner of NOLA.com. Stil, it’s important for the team to make the most of its “unexpected gift,” Kushner says.

Fischer’s Latest: Magic, Holmgren, Bamba, Kings, Sharpe

May 20th, 2022 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Rival executives and league personnel view Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren as the most likely pick for the Magic at No. 1 in next month’s draft due to the front office’s affinity for length, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and general manager John Hammond have gravitated toward lanky players with huge wingspans since arriving in Orlando and did the same during their days in Milwaukee, Fischer observes, citing Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson, Thon Maker, Jonathan Isaac, and Mohamed Bamba as examples.

Fischer also points to Holmgren’s good relationship with last year’s No. 4 overall pick Jalen Suggs – they played together at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis – as another reason why the Magic may be leaning toward the Gonzaga star.

Whether the Magic end up drafting Holmgren or another top big man prospect like Auburn’s Jabari Smith, league personnel increasingly believe that Bamba is increasingly likely to leave the team this summer, Fischer says. Bamba is eligible for restricted free agency, but there may not be room for him in a frontcourt that would include Holmgren or Smith, Wendell Carter, and the returning Isaac.

Here’s more from Fischer:

There’s a “strong belief” among rival executives that the Kings, who badly want to get back to the playoffs, will explore trading the No. 4 pick, according to Fischer. Holmgren, Smith, and Paolo Banchero are the consensus top three players in the draft class, but a number of prospects are in play at No. 4, so there may be a team that feels compelled to move up to snag its preferred target, Fischer writes.
League personnel view the Trail Blazers at No. 7 and the Pelicans at No. 8 as other good candidates for trades among lottery teams, per Fischer. The Thunder, Grizzlies, and Spurs, all of whom own multiple first-round selections, are worth monitoring for possible trade-up scenarios, and there are a few teams that may want to move their first-rounders for future picks due to salary cap or luxury tax concerns, Fischer adds.
Shaedon Sharpe is considered the wild card of the lottery and could come off the board as high as No. 4, Fischer says. Some executives told Bleacher Report that Sharpe could realistically have been a candidate for No. 1 overall if he had played at all at Kentucky. Given how little Sharpe has played in the last year, he’s regarded as a high-risk, high-upside pick.

Draft Notes: Jackson-Davis, Washington, Delph, Williamson

May 19th, 2022 at 10:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis tested positive for COVID-19 and did not attend the Draft Combine this week in Chicago, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star reports.

Jackson-Davis declared for the draft in April while maintaining his college eligibility. He averaged 18.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 2.3 BPG last season. Jackson-Davis is currently listed at No. 66 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more draft-related notes:

Kentucky’s TyTy Washington, who is participating at the combine, says he’ll work out for the Spurs and Pelicans, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com tweets. The point guard is a potential lottery pick — he’s at No. 16 on ESPN’s list. San Antonio owns picks at No. 9, 20 and 25; the Pelicans have the No. 8 pick.
Appalachian State guard Adrian Delph will remain in the draft and has hired an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. Delph averaged 17.7 PPG and 5.4 RPG while making 39.8% of his 3-point tries last season.
Wake Forest Daivien Williamson has withdrawn from the draft and will return to the Demon Deacons, according to another Rothstein tweet. Williamson averaged 11.8 PPG last season.

Johnny Davis Could Be Target With Lottery Pick

May 19th, 2022 at 9:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans already have the look of perennial playoff contender and now they’re armed with the No. 8 pick. Who will they take? Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune takes a closer look at five potential targets, including Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis and Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan.