RADIO
Karlo Matkovic Goes 8-for-8 in Croatia's Rout of Latvia
New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Karlo Matkovic scored 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting in Croatia's 115-80 win over Latvia on Thursday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers. The 25-year-old needed just under 17 minutes to finish 7-for-7 inside the arc and 1-for-1 from deep, though he did not record a rebound, steal, or block. Mario Hezonja paced Croatia with 28 points and seven assists. Matkovic averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 14.7 minutes across 62 games last season while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from three. New Orleans picked up his $2.23 million option in June, but the frontcourt remains crowded with Zion Williamson, Yves Missi, and Derik Queen ahead of him for minutes. The efficiency is useful, but Matkovic stays off fantasy radars unless his Pelicans role grows.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Yves Missi Posts 24 Points, Four Blocks for Cameroon
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi scored 24 points in Cameroon's 78-62 win over Nigeria on Thursday in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers. The 22-year-old went 9-for-13 from the field and 6-for-8 at the line while adding nine rebounds, two steals, and four blocks in Rades, Tunisia. That free-throw line is worth noting after Missi shot just 55.9 percent at the stripe last season, which remains the biggest drag on his category profile. His NBA role shrank in 2025-26, when he averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes across 66 games with 14 starts. Jamahl Mosley now inherits a center mix that includes Derik Queen, Karlo Matkovic, and DeAndre Jordan, so Missi still has work to do. New Orleans reportedly turned away trade interest in him, at least keeping his path tied to the Pelicans' in-house competition.
Source: Keith Smith
Source: Keith Smith
Pelicans Waive Hunter Dickinson
According to Michael Scotto, the New Orleans Pelicans are waiving two-way center Hunter Dickinson on Tuesday. The former Kansas and Michigan star went undrafted in 2025 before landing a two-way deal with the Pelicans. He re-signed with New Orleans in July, but now he'll head elsewhere. He averaged 17.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in the G-League last season. He played in five games with the Pelicans, but made a minimal impact. He figures to spend most of his time in the G-League on whichever team he goes to next.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Christian Koloko Inks Deal With Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans signed center Christian Koloko to a one-year deal on Tuesday, according to Michael Scotto. Koloko is a former second-round pick of the Toronto Raptors from 2022. He has bounced around to four different teams during his three years at the professional level. He played with three different organizations this past season and made a minimal impact during each stop. He figures to serve as a depth option who likely won't see the court unless a few injuries occur.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Hunter Dickinson Re-Signs With Pelicans on Two-Way Deal
New Orleans Pelicans center Hunter Dickinson re-signed with the team on a two-way contract, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot. The 25-year-old appeared in only five NBA games last season, averaging 2.4 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.4 assists. He was far more productive in the G League, where he posted 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. This two-way deal keeps him in New Orleans' developmental pipeline, but his fantasy ceiling is virtually non-existent. With Derik Queen, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic firmly ahead of him on the depth chart, Dickinson will likely spend most of his time with the Birmingham Squadron. He remains completely off the fantasy radar unless multiple injuries decimate the Pelicans' frontcourt.
Source: Paul Garcia
Source: Paul Garcia
Knicks Fail to Pry Yves Missi From Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi remains unavailable in trade talks after the New York Knicks made multiple rejected offers, according to Chris Haynes. New York is searching for center help after Mitchell Robinson agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Boston Celtics, but New Orleans views Missi as a vital core piece. The 22-year-old averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes last season. Staying put keeps Missi's path tied to the Pelicans' frontcourt, where his blocks and offensive boards are more useful than his scoring. He still needs steadier minutes to be more than a specialist.
Source: Chris Haynes
Source: Chris Haynes
DeAndre Jordan Returns to Pelicans for 19th NBA Season
New Orleans Pelicans center DeAndre Jordan is re-signing with the team for his 19th NBA season, Chris Haynes reported, keeping the reigning Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year in town. Jordan, who turns 38 in July, played just 12 games last season and now serves mostly as a mentor for a young frontcourt, so there is nothing to chase in any fantasy format. The more useful takeaway: his return does not threaten the runway of Derik Queen or Yves Missi, who remain the bigs to own behind Zion Williamson. Now on his eighth team, the 2008 second-round pick is pure veteran glue.
Source: Chris Haynes
Source: Chris Haynes
Pelicans Expected to Move on From Veteran Center Kevon Looney
New Orleans Pelicans center Kevon Looney is expected to reach unrestricted free agency, with the team poised to decline his $8 million option for next season, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports. The three-time NBA champion spent his first 10 seasons in Golden State before signing a two-year deal with New Orleans last summer, but he never carved out a role. He appeared in just 21 games, eight as a starter, averaging 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 14.7 minutes. A departure would do little to reshuffle the rotation. The Pelicans already funneled the center minutes to rookie Derik Queen and Yves Missi, with Zion Williamson anchoring the four. Looney's fantasy value hinges on landing a real role elsewhere, which looks like a stretch for a non-scoring depth big.
Source: Chris Haynes
Source: Chris Haynes
Pelicans Exercise Third-Year Option on Karlo Matkovic
Center/power forward Karlo Matkovic will be back in New Orleans next season. The Pelicans exercised their $2.30 million third-year team option on Matkovic, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports. The floor-spacing big fills a real need for a New Orleans frontcourt short on shooting. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 14.7 minutes across 62 games while connecting on 60.4 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from three-point range. There's little standalone fantasy value at that workload, but he produced more when the rotation thinned, posting 9.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 22.3 minutes over his final 32 outings. Stuck behind Derik Queen and Yves Missi, Matkovic's value hinges on minutes. Should New Orleans decline Kevon Looney's separate option, he could carve out a larger role.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
