New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Sign Ian Clark

August 3rd, 2017 at 4:54pm CST by marksuleymanov

August 3: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

August 1: The Pelicans have agreed to a one-year, $1.6MM with free agent guard Ian Clark, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. Clark’s deal is the standard minimum pact for a player with four years of experience.

Clark, 26, has been a key piece of the Warriors’ reserve unit the past two seasons, including the team’s championship-winning 2016/17 campaign. The Pelicans feel Clark’s postseason experience and ability to mesh well with most of the roster makes him an ideal fit, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.

In 77 games off the bench last season, Clark averaged 6.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG and 1.6 APG in 14.8 minutes. The former undrafted guard’s strong suit has been his outside shooting; after shooting almost 36% from beyond the arc in 2015/16, the Belmont University product shot a career-best 37% from three last season.

The Warriors essentially replaced one sharpshooter with another as the team signed Nick Young earlier this offseason. With the Pelicans, Clark figures to see significant playing time for a team that is already excited for 2017/18 with the addition of Rajon Rondo, re-signing of Jrue Holiday, and a full season of DeMarcus Cousins looming.

Clark will likely fight for playing time alongside Jordan Crawford and E’Twaun Moore as wings for the Pelicans.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Southwest Notes: Cousins, Holiday, Noel

August 2nd, 2017 at 10:05pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Pelicans added Rajon Rondo this offseason and DeMarcus Cousins is thrilled about the addition, as he tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical.

“Rajon is like a big brother to me,” Cousins said. “He taught me a lot in that one season we had together. Our relationship remained strong and we always thought we’d wind up being teammates again later down the road. I never expected it to be this soon, but I’m also happy about it.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

The decision to play Jrue Holiday off the ball was forced upon the Pelicans because of their cap concerns, James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders explains. The team didn’t have much flexibility to add shooting this offseason, so moving Holiday—someone who’s a career 36.6% three-point shooter— off the ball adds a dimension to the offense without bringing in an expensive wing.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News speculates that the Mavericks will complete a deal with Nerlens Noel before training camp begins. However, the scribe notes that nothing has to happen until October 16 when the center’s qualifying offer expires.

Rival Executives Keeping Tabs On DeMarcus Cousins

August 2nd, 2017 at 9:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Executives around the league are keeping a close eye on DeMarcus Cousins and the Pelicans this season. One Western Conference team executive tells Chris Mannix of The Vertical that Cousins, who will be a free agent next summer, could cost himself a sizable deal if things don’t go well in New Orleans.

“This season is huge,” said the anonymous Western Conference team executive. “He has to prove he can win. He has never played with anyone near the talent of Davis. He has to show he is willing to sacrifice for the team and do what is best for the team first. He really needs to turn a corner. If he acts up, he will cost himself a lot of money.”

Another Western Conference executive echoed that sentiment, telling Mannix that “there’s no way to overstate it—there is huge money on the line.”

The 26-year-old big man remains focused on the upcoming campaign and refuses to worry his contract situation. “I’m not real concerned,” Cousins said. “I know people know my talent. I’m past all that.”

Cousins came to New Orleans via a trade deadline deal that sent a package centered around Buddy Hield and a first-rounder to Sacramento. The Pelicans went 7-10 during games in which Cousins played. Could it be that having two 6’11” behemoths in the same lineup is no longer a sustainable model for building a winning team? Cousins doesn’t believe that to be true.

“I think the game is actually playing into our hands,” Cousins said. “I think me and A.D. have a skill set that a lot of bigs don’t have in this league, or the league hasn’t seen in some bigs throughout the history of the game. I think it actually plays into our hands, and we’re just rolling with the punches. I don’t think [a smaller game] will effect me or A.D. at all.

“That sample size we got last season is the reason I’m so confident this season. I believe we can make it work, and I think we’re going to surprise a lot more people than people actually expect. For some reason we’re being counted out, but that’s actually OK. We’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”

Pelicans Sign Charles Cooke To Two-Way Deal

August 2nd, 2017 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 2: Shortly after confirming Jones’ two-way contract with the club, the Pelicans have done the same with Cooke’s, issuing a press release to confirm his new two-way deal.

JULY 31: The Pelicans have reached an agreement with undrafted Dayton guard Charles Cooke, and will sign him to a two-way contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Cooke, 23, averaged 15.7 PPG and 5.3 RPG during his senior year at Dayton, recording a shooting line of .485/.398/.694. The young shooting guard wasn’t viewed as an elite prospect, but was ranked 32nd among this year’s seniors by DraftExpress.

Shortly after the draft ended last month, a report indicated that Cooke had agreed to a deal with the Timberwolves. However, that agreement only spanned Summer League play — the 6’5″ guard averaged 10.0 PPG and 3.0 RPG in five games for the Wolves in Vegas. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News had reported last week (via Twitter) that Cooke wasn’t open to a two-way contract with Minnesota.

For the Pelicans, Cooke appears to be their second two-way player. Chris Reichert of 2 Ways and 10 Days reported this weekend (via Twitter) that Jalen Jones‘ agreement with the Pelicans is a two-way deal. That signing isn’t official yet, but is expected to be finalized soon.

Pelicans Sign Jalen Jones To Two-Way Contract

August 2nd, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 2: The Pelicans have officially signed Jones to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. The club recently reached an agreement with Charles Cooke for its other two-way spot.

JULY 25: The Pelicans are expected to sign former Texas A&M forward Jalen Jones, a source tells Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Details of Jones’ potential deal aren’t known, but it would likely be a training camp invite without a full guarantee, assuming it’s not a two-way contract.

Jones, 24, went undrafted in 2016 but signed a training camp deal with the Celtics. Although the 6’7″ small forward didn’t earn a spot on Boston’s regular season roster, he became an affiliate player for the club after being waived, joining the G League’s Maine Red Claws.

Jones enjoyed an impressive 2016/17 campaign in Maine, averaging 21.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG — he was named to the All NBA G League Third Team. Jones further impressed the Pelicans in Summer League play this month, recording 13.3 PPG and 6.2 RPG in six games for the club.

Assuming he gets a camp deal from the Pelicans, Jones would join Jrue Holiday, Rajon Rondo, and Darius Miller as the free agents to sign NBA contracts with the franchise so far this offseason. New Orleans also added Frank Jackson in the draft.

Latest On NBA’s Summer Salary Guarantee Dates

August 2nd, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat didn’t make any roster moves with Rodney McGruder or Okaro White on Tuesday, ensuring that both players remain under contract and received partial guarantees on their contracts for 2017/18, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

As Basketball Insiders details, McGruder and White are on minimum salary deals worth $1,312,611 for the coming season. By remaining with the Heat through August 1, both players are now in line for about $453K in guaranteed money. Their full salaries will become guaranteed if they stay under contract through the first game of the regular season.

Meanwhile, as we noted last night, the Hornets also kept Johnny O’Bryant on their roster beyond his August 1 salary guarantee deadline, making his $1,524,305 minimum salary fully guaranteed.

Other players, including Jordan Crawford of the Pelicans and Bryn Forbes of the Spurs, had August 1 salary guarantee deadlines in their contracts as well, per Basketball Insiders’ data. However, we haven’t received confirmation that their guarantees are locked in.

Neither Crawford nor Forbes was waived, but teams and players can sometimes agree to push back guarantee dates to create more flexibility for the club — the Trail Blazers recently did just that with Pat Connaughton, whose salary guarantee deadline is now August 31 instead of July 25.

For more details on which players have received salary guarantees this summer – as well as which players have been waived before those guarantees kicked in – be sure to check out our full breakdown.

And-Ones: Awards, Super Teams, Pelicans, Lawson

August 1st, 2017 at 9:52pm CST by marksuleymanov

After his superstar player, James Harden, fell short of capturing the NBA Most Valuable Player award, Daryl Morey feels the league could do away with awards, the Rockets general manager said to Ben Golliver of The Crossover.

“I don’t know if this is a good process,” Morey said. “The ones that are decided by players or executives or media, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. I honestly don’t think there’s a good process. You could argue for eliminating the awards altogether. I don’t really see a good way to do it that doesn’t have major issues. I like clean answers. If there’s not going to be a set criteria and there’s going to be issues with how it’s structured, for me it might be better to not have it.”

Morey made frequent mention to the “criteria” used to select the NBA MVP. Whether it be personal success, a historically great season, or team performance, Morey believes it doesn’t lead to a uniform result. For instance, Stephen Curry won the MVP over Harden because the Warriors had a better record, and if the same guidelines were used, Harden should have won the award over Russell Westbrook this year.

In any case, Morey’s comments have been received negatively by most of the basketball world and players are still scheduled to be rewarded with hardware for having outstanding seasons.

Below you can find additional news from around the basketball world:

Tom Haberstroh of ESPN examines nine different NBA teams that could be future super teams in a lengthy piece that well worth the read. Haberstroh compares super teams from years’ past, including the 2008 Celtics, 2011 Heat, and the 2014 Warriors and explains how teams can follow their blueprints to success.
For ESPN Insider (subscription required and recommended), Kevin Pelton hands out grades to Western Conference teams for their transactions and transgressions this offseason.
While an expansion with new teams added to the NBA is unlikely, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes that relocation of current teams is more plausible. Kyler specifically mentions the Pelicans and how they could end up moving from New Orleans.
Free agent point guard Ty Lawson has signed with veteran agent Larry Fox, per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Daily (via Twitter). Hoops Rumors previously noted that Fox was representing Lawson, who seemed bound for China at one point this offseason.

Details About Frank Jackson's Contract

July 30th, 2017 at 7:56pm CST by Austin Kent

The majority of Frank Jackson‘s contract with the Pelicans is guaranteed, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Jackson’s first two seasons are guaranteed at the league minimum, as is $506K of his third season.

Community Shootaround: Pelicans’ Playoff Chances

July 29th, 2017 at 8:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Making the playoffs in the Western Conference was a challenging task last season and it should be an even harder feat after several teams improved this offseason.

The Warriors brought back their core in addition to bringing in Nick Young and they are likely to take home the conference’s top seed. The Spurs, Rockets, and Thunder should find themselves jocking for position behind them. The Clippers and Jazz each lost their best player in free agency, but both seem poised to reach the playoffs, albeit with a lower seed than they had last season. The Nuggets (adding Paul Millsap) and Wolves (trading for Jimmy Butler) made upgrades with the hopes of pushing the Grizzlies or Blazers for a playoff spot.

The Pelicans hope to surpass at least three of the aforementioned teams and sneak into the playoffs, but they might not have enough shooting or defense to reach that goal, as Thomas Rende of NBAMath explains. Rende notes that only 11 teams since the 2012/13 campaign have won more than 45 games (a number that should put a team in contention for a playoff birth) while ranking in the bottom third of the league in three-point percentage. Out of those teams, only two (the 2012/13 Nuggets and the 2014/15 Thunder) didn’t rank in the top 10 in points allowed per 100 possessions.

In his piece, which is a must read, Rende explains how New Orleans is ill-equipped to drastically improve its outside shooting, meaning a playoff birth appears unlikely.

What do you think? Can the Pelicans muster enough offense to make the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference or will their lack of shooting plague the team and relegate them to the lottery once again?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!

Southwest Notes: Davis, Irving, Melo, Mavericks

July 28th, 2017 at 5:50pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Pelicans will enter the 2017/18 season with a rising superstar in Anthony Davis, prized acquisition DeMarcus Cousins, long-term investment Jrue Holiday, veteran Rajon Rondo and others ready to compete. Davis, in particular, is focused on turning the franchise’s fortunes around and proclaimed the team is “tired of losing,” per the Associated Press.

Davis, still just 24 years old, wants to lead New Orleans out of the Western Conference cellar into the playoff picture, which could prove difficult if the rest of the conference plays to its potential. However, Davis explained that the team is making efforts to improve and the talented roster must perform.

“We’re doing everything, whether it’s signing players, trading players … whatever it is to just try to make sure that we try to be a winning organization,” Davis said. “We have the tools right now to be successful. … Right now, I think we look good on paper. So we’ve just got to figure it out.”

Below are additional notes around the Southwest Division:

As the Carmelo Anthony-to-the-Rockets rumors persist, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News examined Anthony’s play on Team USA during the Olympics. While Anthony is often viewed a “selfish” player focused on scoring, Deveney writes that his Olympic exploits show he’s a versatile player who can be effective as a number two or three option. If Anthony does end up in Houston, alongside James Harden and Chris Paul, that side of Anthony could prove to be effective.
Newy Scruggs of Dallas Sports Day answered several fan questions, one of which involved Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving. Scruggs believes Irving is not ideal for the Mavericks, given the presence of Dennis Smith Jr. and Irving’s reported desire to be a No. 1 option.
While 2017/18 may be Dirk Nowitzki‘s final season, Kevin Sherrington of Dallas Sports Day believes that “tanking” may not be the right word for the Mavericks‘ approach to the year. Sherrington writes that tanking is the fault of an organizational mindset and not the players; the team can be competitive with its current core, he adds.