The Pelicans have added another camp body with a familiar developmental track, signing former Raptors guard Markquis Nowell to a training camp deal, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot. Nowell, who went undrafted in 2023 after starring at Kansas State, spent most of 2023/24 on a two-way contract in Toronto before heading overseas.
Last season, the 5-foot-7 point guard played for Baskonia in Spain, where he put up 5.7 points and 3.0 assists across 28 EuroLeague games, logging 14.4 minutes a night. There’s a chance he’s back in the States this season, with a path that could lead him to the Pelicans’ G League setup.
If Nowell’s deal is indeed an Exhibit 10 and he’s waived before the start of 2026/27, he could be in line for a bonus of up to $91K, provided he spends at least 60 days with the Laketown Squadron, New Orleans’ rebranded and relocated NBAGL team. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals.
Minnesota made a pair of roster moves of its own, signing guard Stephen Thompson to a training camp contract and waiving Jules Bernard, per Garcia and the NBA.com transaction log. Thompson, 29, went undrafted out of Oregon State in 2019 and has since built a pro résumé that includes stops in Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico and the G League.
He’s also spent the last three seasons with both the Bucks’ G League affiliate and Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional. In 45 games for the Herd last season, Thompson averaged 15.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting .463/.414/.713. If the plan is for him to land with Minnesota’s NBAGL affiliate in 2026/27, the Iowa Wolves would need to acquire his rights.
San Antonio also got in on the action Friday, signing Jayden Nunn, according to Garcia of The Spot Up Shot. Nunn, a former Baylor guard who went undrafted last year, spent most of last season with the Spurs’ G League affiliate in Austin.
In 47 games in 2025/26, the 23-year-old averaged 15.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals on .486/.397/.703 shooting. He also made three appearances in Italy with Pallacanestro Brescia last season.
In Other News...
Bulls May Have A Jalen Smith Decision Worth Watching
Minnesotas frontcourt picture changed when Naz Reid was moved in the deal for LaMelo Ball, leaving Rudy Gobert without much proven help behind him. That has made the Timberwolves a team worth watching for any affordable big who can stretch the floor a little and chip in on the glass, especially if the answer does not come with the kind of salary strain that limits flexibility elsewhere on the roster.
One name that fits the profile is Jalen Smith, with Chicago now facing its own decision on how to handle him. Smith gives Minnesota the kind of interior depth it has been missing, and his blend of spacing and rebounding makes him a cleaner stylistic match than a lot of backup big options on the market, which is why this is the sort of move that could quietly make sense if the Bulls decide to listen. [Read more 🡒]
Chris Finch Now Faces A Wolves Challenge He Cant Ease Into
Chris Finch is already dealing with a different kind of depth chart problem as the Timberwolves move past Naz Reids departure, and the backup center spot suddenly looks like one of the more interesting development projects on the roster. Joan Beringer is expected to take on a bigger role, and Finch has framed that opportunity in the context of a young player still learning how to handle the demands that come with more minutes and more responsibility.
The challenge is bigger than just plugging in a reserve big, especially after Minnesota added LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga and began sorting out how those pieces change the way the group wants to play. Finch also pointed back to the strain of last season and the coaching changes around him, with Pablo Prigioni promoted to lead assistant, underscoring that the Wolves are not easing into this next phase so much as adjusting on the fly while a few key questions remain open. [Read more 🡒]
Ayo Dosunmu Faces A Crowded Race For Wolves Bench Spotlight
Minnesotas bench picture is already drawing attention ahead of the new season, with Ayo Dosunmu emerging as a name to watch in the Wolves rotation. The conversation has been sharpened by the departure of Naz Reid, which leaves a real opening for someone to settle in as the primary option coming off the bench and provide the kind of steady second-unit production Minnesota will need.
Dosunmu is hardly the only guard or wing in the broader Sixth Man of the Year mix, either. Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Reed Sheppard, Jrue Holiday and Ajay Mitchell are all expected to be part of a crowded race, and several of those roles still need to be defined before the season starts. For Minnesota, the main question is not just who can handle the bench spotlight, but who can separate himself in a field that looks deep and competitive from the start. [Read more 🡒]