RADIO
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
Pelicans Draft Hometown Scorer Jaron Pierre Jr.
The New Orleans Pelicans selected SMU guard/forward Jaron Pierre Jr. with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The New Orleans native gives the Pelicans an experienced scoring option after averaging 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals in 33.0 minutes while shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from deep, and 75.8 percent at the line. Pierre previously averaged 21.6 points at Jacksonville State, so the scoring track record is real. His fantasy value will be limited early, but three-level scoring and wing size give him a path to compete for bench minutes.
Source: Brett Siegel
Source: Brett Siegel
Warriors Continue to Eye Trey Murphy III
New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III could be more obtainable during this transaction cycle, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater. The Warriors have reportedly viewed Murphy as a long-term wing target, with his age, size, and fit in Golden State's system all part of the appeal. The 25-year-old took another step forward in 2025-26, averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 47.0 percent from the field. A trade to Golden State could trim his shot volume, but his three-point shooting, defensive tools, and ability to play off stars would still give him a clear path to fantasy value in a more competitive environment.
Source: Anthony Slater
Source: Anthony Slater
Pelicans Attempting to Trade Up in Draft
The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly attempting to trade up into the draft lottery ahead of this year's draft, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Pelicans traded up into the lottery last season and selected center Derik Queen. It's unclear who the Pelicans are targeting, but they should have the assets to get a deal done if they want to. That means, Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, and Yves Missi could all be available in a potential deal. Jones is one of the league's most coveted two-way players, so he'd likely be the centerpiece of any trade-up deals. The Pelicans are likely just feeling out the waters, but maybe they'll make a big move to jump up ahead of draft day.
Source: Michael Scotto
Source: Michael Scotto
Zion Williamson to See More Versatile Role
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is expected to be used in a variety of different ways next season. New head coach Jamahl Mosley recently said he wants to help tap into Williamson's full potential. He continued by saying Williamson is a high-IQ player who can handle more playmaking responsibilities. Last season, Williamson averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 29.7 minutes per game in 62 contests. It sounds like Mosley is willing to give Williamson more responsibility on the court, which should mean higher fantasy value. The biggest problem has been keeping Williamson on the court. He has only played more than 60 games in a single season three times during his NBA career.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jamahl Mosley Agrees to Become Pelicans Next Head Coach
The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed on a five-year deal with Jamahl Mosley to become the next head coach of the organization. It didn't take Mosley long to find a new team, as he was let go by the Orlando Magic roughly two weeks ago. Mosley took the Magic to the playoffs three times during his five years with the organization. He took what was a rebuilding roster and turned it into a legitimate contender by his third season. The Magic decided to go in another direction after his most recent playoff exit, but Mosley appears to be a solid option for the Pelicans. He is an experienced coach who could quickly turn around the Pelicans as he did in Orlando.
Source: Shams Charania
Source: Shams Charania
Pelicans Not Interested in Trading Zion Williamson
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is likely to remain part of the team's core in 2026-27. On Tuesday, Pelicans executive Joe Dumars announced that the team is not interested in trading the 2019 first-overall pick. "I'll get those calls," Dumars said. "And even when you say 'no' to people, like, 'No, we're not moving Zion,' within two hours it's out that you've had conversations about trading Zion. Listen, we have no intentions of doing that. We're going into the offseason looking forward to Zion coming back next year and playing great again next year." Williamson endured another injury-plagued season in 2025-26, making 62 appearances. He averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 steals. The two-time All-Star has two seasons remaining on a five-year,$193 million contract.
Source: Reuters
Source: Reuters
Derik Queen has 30-Point, 22-Rebound Season Finale
New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Derik Queen erupted for 30 points, 22 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in 41 minutes during Sunday's loss to Minnesota, closing his rookie season on a dominant note. With the Pelicans eliminated from playoff contention, Queen took on a featured role late, showcasing high usage and strong rebounding instincts. He closed the year on a tear with elevated production across the board, putting himself on the radar for next season.
Source: NBA
Source: NBA
Zion Williamson to Remain Out on Sunday
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (knee) won't suit up for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Pelicans are out of playoff contention, so it's not shocking to see them holding out Williamson. This is the final game of the regular-season, so that's a wrap on his 2025-2026 season. Williamson finished the season averaging 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 29.7 minutes in 62 games. Derik Queen should play heavy minutes with a majority of the Pelicans players absent for this game. Kevon Looney will back him up, but Quenn is the better DFS play between the two.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Saddiq Bey, Herbert Jones Resting Friday
New Orleans Pelicans forwards Saddiq Bey (rest) and Herbert Jones (rest) have been ruled out for Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. Both were listed as questionable on the initial injury report. New Orleans is giving its reserves extended looks during the final week of the regular season, keeping Bey and Jones out of the rotation for a second consecutive game. Zion Williamson (knee), Trey Murphy III (ankle), Dejounte Murray (hand), and Yves Missi (finger) won't suit up either for Friday's tilt, so guys like Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, and Derik Queen should take on leading roles.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Trey Murphy III Unavailable Against Celtics
New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Trey Murphy III (ankle) won't be in the lineup on Friday against the Boston Celtics. He is dealing with a right ankle sprain and is skipping a third consecutive contest. Zion Williamson (knee) and Dejounte Murray (hand) are also out, so the trio of Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, and Micah Peavy should lead the offense on Friday. All three performed well when they started together in Tuesday's win over Utah, combining for 94 of the team's 156 points.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Dejounte Murray Remains Out Friday
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (hand) will miss a fourth consecutive game on Friday against the Boston Celtics. It's also looking unlikely that he will play in the season finale on Sunday after picking up a hand injury. Jeremiah Fears has been on a tear since Murray departed the lineup and should be one of the stars of the show again on Friday night. The 19-year-old posted a franchise rookie record with 40 points in Tuesday's win over Utah and has averaged 29.0 points over the last three games, along with 5.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
Zion Williamson Won't Suit Up Friday
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (knee) is listed as out for Friday's meeting with the Boston Celtics. The Pelicans are giving their fringe players a chance to impress late in the season, and they didn't play Williamson on Tuesday against Utah, even though he was in the lineup. Now, he will be inactive altogether, along with Yves Missi (hand). That should secure a significant role for Kevon Looney, who tallied seven points, 12 boards, six assists, and two steals in Tuesday's 156-137 win. Derik Queen will also have a clearer path to playing time in the frontcourt. He racked up 17 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks against Utah.
Source: NBA Injury Report
Source: NBA Injury Report
