- The opportunity to play steady minutes and rejoin forces with his ex-college teammate Anthony Davis were major factors in Terrence Jones’ decision to sign with the Pelicans, Oliver Maroney of Basketball Insiders writes. Jones, who signed a one-year contract worth an estimated $980K, appeared in only 50 games last season. “I wanted an opportunity to play for a team that is young and defining itself, but could still compete right away,” Jones told Maroney. “I wanted a larger role, where I could really compete and help a team win.” He’s excited about the prospect of playing alongside Davis, with whom he won the NCAA championship at Kentucky, Maroney adds. “We both work well together and we’ve already got a great chemistry and friendship,” Jones said. “When he’s healthy, I think he’s as good as any other big in the league, so I am excited to see what we can do this year.”
- The Pelicans renounced their rights to Norris Cole, Kendrick Perkins and Jordan Hamilton, Justin Verrier of ESPN.com tweets. Those moves allowed them to officially sign both Jones and point guard Tim Frazier.
New Orleans has emerged as the strong favorite to host the All-Star Game in February, a source close to the situation informed Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The NBA pulled the game from Charlotte on Thursday in protest of a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. Charlotte will host the 2019 ASG if sufficient changes are made to the law, Mahoney adds. Boston and Atlanta have also shown interest in hosting the event, Mahoney continues. The Pelicans franchise also hosted the ASG in 2008 and 2014.
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JULY 22, 3:26pm: The signing is official, per team release.
JULY 10, 12pm: Free agent point guard Tim Frazier is close to re-signing with the Pelicans, posts Marc Stein on ESPN Now. Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter) that it’ll be a two-year, $4.1MM agreement for Frazier and the Pelicans.
Frazier first signed with New Orleans in March after being waived in February by the Trail Blazers. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.5 assists in 16 games with the Pelicans. He has also played briefly for the Sixers during his two years in the NBA.
Frazier is expected to serve as a backup to Jrue Holiday, who is entering the final year of his contract.
JULY 22, 3:23pm: The signing is official, per team release.
JULY 14, 4:57pm: Stein has amended his report, tweeting that New Orleans and Jones have agreed to a one-year deal at the minimum salary. The Pelicans are trying to create a bit more cap room, so Jones may see that salary increase, Stein adds.
4:43pm: Jones has at least one offer on the table that will pay him more than the Pelicans offered, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. New Orleans is still hopeful of landing the forward, Stein adds. Charania has a different take, tweeting that Jones and the Pelicans are in the process of finalizing a deal.
12:26am: The Pelicans are nearing a deal with free agent power forward Terrence Jones, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). Charania reports that New Orleans is expected to sign Jones to a one-year contract.
Jones, 24, had an impressive sophomore season for the Rockets back in 2013/14, starting 71 of his 76 games played, and averaging 12.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.3 BPG to go along with a .542 FG%. Since then, however, he has battled injuries and his production has been inconsistent. Jones had been eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but Houston opted not to extend him a qualifying offer, allowing him to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
The Pelicans haven’t made a huge splash in free agency this summer, but the team has been steadily adding solid rotation pieces to its roster. New Orleans has previously reached agreements with Solomon Hill, E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway, and Tim Frazier.
[RELATED: Pelicans’ free agent signings, via our Free Agent Tracker]
Jones has likely received interest from teams interested in locking him up for more than one season, but given his up-and-down performance over the last two seasons, it makes sense that he’d be looking to rebuild his value on a one-year contract. If he has a strong year with the Pelicans, the Kentucky product could parlay that showing into a longer-term – and more lucrative – deal in free agency next summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
The Pelicans are finalizing several contract agreements this week as they get their roster and cap in order for the coming season, and the latest player to sign his deal with the team is sixth overall pick Buddy Hield. New Orleans announced today in a press release that Hield his signed his rookie contract with the club.
“We could not be more excited to add a player and person like Buddy Hield to the New Orleans Pelicans,” GM Dell Demps said in a statement. “He embodies all the traits we care about in our organization. His work ethic, energy and confidence have been on full display since he stepped foot in New Orleans. We look forward to helping him grow as a player as he will help us become a better team.”
Hield, who was the first senior to come off the board in last month’s draft, was one of the best players in the nation during his final year at Oklahoma. The 22-year-old averaged 25.0 PPG and 5.7 RPG to go along with a sizzling 45.7% mark from three-point range (4.0 3PG).
As our breakdown of salaries for 2016 first-round picks shows, Hield should be in line for a first-year salary of $3,517,200, and he’ll earn $15,887,648 if he plays out his full rookie contract. With Hield locked up, only five 2016 first-rounders have yet to either sign their rookie contracts or reach an agreement to play overseas.
JULY 22: The Pelicans have made it official with Diallo, announcing the signing today in a press release.
JULY 20: The Pelicans have struck a deal with second-round pick Cheick Diallo, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have reached an agreement on a three-year contract. Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known, but other players who were drafted just before or just after Diallo last month have received at least two fully guaranteed years, along with a starting salary worth more than the minimum.
[RELATED: 2016 Draft Pick Signings]
Diallo, 19, was projected as a late first-round pick by several draft experts and was ranked as the year’s 24th-best prospect by both ESPN’s Chad Ford and DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony. The 6’9″ big man didn’t see much action during his only year at Kansas, averaging just 3.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 7.5 minutes per contest, but is viewed as having significant upside, particularly as a defender.
On draft night, the Pelicans agreed to a deal with the Clippers, sending the 39th and 40th overall picks to Los Angeles in order to move up to No. 33 to snatch Diallo.
The Pelicans also recently agreed to terms with Terrence Jones, and are said to be finalizing a deal with Alonzo Gee. New Orleans is the only team in the NBA that has to formally complete any of the contracts they’ve agreed to this month, but the mini-flurry of news related to the team today suggests that the Pelicans are likely close to making things official with those players.
JULY 22: The Pelicans have officially re-signed Gee, the team confirmed today in a press release.
JULY 21: The Pelicans and Alonzo Gee have agreed on a one-year deal worth $1.4MM, Michael Scotto of The Associated Press reports (on Twitter). Shams Charania of The Vertical recently reported that the two sides were close to striking an agreement.
Gee opted out of his previous contract with the Pelicans earlier this month. He would have earned about $1.379MM in 2016/17 if he had exercised his option, so this is only a slight increase. Still, judging by the amount of money tossed around this summer, it seemed like a logical decision for Gee.
Gee, 29, made 38 starts and appeared in 73 games for New Orleans last season. He averaged only 4.5 PPG and 3.4 RPG. Gee is a solid defender and a decent role player, however. His season ended after he suffered a ruptured right quadriceps muscle.
- Solomon Hill‘s four-year, $48MM pact with the Pelicans, which starts at $12.2MM, features $3.9MM in total unlikely incentives, according to Pincus (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the first-year cap hit on E’Twaun Moore‘s four-year, $34MM deal with New Orleans is $8.08MM (Twitter link).
Brace Hemmelgarn / USA TODAY Sports Images
JULY 21st: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.
JULY 6th, 10:24pm: The pact will pay Galloway $5MM per season, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets.
4:35pm: Galloway received a two-year deal from New Orleans, with a player option for the second season, according to Scotto (Twitter link).
3:46pm: Point guard Langston Galloway will sign with the Pelicans, tweets Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops. Contract details are still being finalized, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Galloway became an unrestricted free agent on Monday when the Knicks rescinded their $2.725MM qualifying offer. Galloway became expendable when New York reached a one-year, $5MM deal with free agent guard Brandon Jennings. Begley notes that New York held Early Bird Rights on Galloway and could have offered up to $6.1MM in the first year of a new deal (Twitter link).
The 24-year-old was a regular part of the Knicks’ rotation this season, his second in the NBA. Galloway appeared in all 82 games, averaging 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 24.8 minutes while shooting 39.3% from the field and 34.4% from 3-point range.
He will help offset the loss of Eric Gordon, who signed Saturday with the Rockets. Galloway joins Solomon Hill and E’Twaun Moore as free agent acquisitions for New Orleans this offseason.
JULY 21st: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.
JULY 1st: The Pelicans have agreed to a deal with Solomon Hill, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The pact will be for $48MM over four seasons, reports Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter links). Kushner adds that the deal will be guaranteed and it will contain incentives. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets that the deal will be for $52MM over four seasons, so perhaps that figure represents his maximum earnings.
Jeff Hanisch / USA Today Sports Images
GM Dell Demps was very high on the combo forward and had been targeting him since the beginning of free agency, Kushner adds. Sources tell Kushner that the team feels Hill is a high-IQ, team player and a good passer, comparing the forward to DeMarre Carroll (Twitter link). New Orleans wants Hill to be the team’s new “two-way” small forward, Stein tweets.
Hill was set to make roughly $2.3MM next season for the Pacers, but Indiana decided not to exercise its team option for the final year of his rookie deal. Hill had an up-and-down career for the Pacers before breaking out in the playoffs this past year.