Bennedict Mathurin’s new deal with the Pelicans ended up coming in a bit lighter than first reported, but New Orleans still used a chunk of its non-taxpayer mid-level exception to get it done.
What had been reported last month as a two-year, $16MM contract is actually worth $15,375,000. Mathurin will make a guaranteed $7,500,000 in 2026/27, and the second season, 2027/28, is a player option worth $7,875,000.
That still leaves the Pelicans with almost exactly half of their mid-level exception untouched - $7,544,000, according to Yossi Gozlan of CapSheets. The catch is that New Orleans is sitting just $4.1MM below the luxury tax line and $5.7MM shy of its hard cap at the first apron, so if the club wants to use the rest of that exception during the preseason or regular season, it would need to clear a little salary first.
Elsewhere in the Southwest, Duke coach Jon Scheyer explained why he wasn’t tempted by NBA interest this summer, including reporting in June that the Mavericks wanted to speak with him about their head coaching vacancy. On the Glue Guys podcast, Scheyer said he’s not ready to walk away from the job he has now.
“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself, not seeing this thing through,” Scheyer said, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I mean, that’s just the bottom line.
And I’m at a one-of-one place where not often you get your dream job when you’re 33. I’m really proud of the start we’ve gone off to and the continuation of what has been built here, but I think we got so much left to do.
I just think we have so much left to accomplish. This is where my family is.
This is home for me.”
Cooper Flagg’s trainer, Matt MacKenzie, also talked to Mark Medina of RG.org about how Flagg handled the offseason and what new Mavericks coach Dusty May expects from him moving forward. MacKenzie said May is looking for Flagg to be more than just a scorer.
“(May) has very high expectations for Cooper not only as a scorer, but as a complete player, as a play-maker and as somebody that plays both sides of the ball,” MacKenzie said.
And in Memphis, Isaiah Stewart says he’s embracing his next chapter even after being dealt from a 60-win Pistons team to a 25-win Grizzlies club this offseason. Speaking at a community event on Saturday, Stewart said his time in Detroit gave him something he can pass along to a young Memphis group.
“It’s an experience I can bring here to this group,” Stewart said, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “And also just letting them know it’s about patience.
We have to stack days. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
In Other News...
Pelicans Give A Familiar Hustle Forward A Real Shot To Impress
Christian Shumate is getting another look in New Orleans, this time with a training camp deal that gives the familiar hustle forward a chance to make his case in a more meaningful setting. He already knows the organization from his time with the Pelicans G League affiliate, and he has been around the teams orbit through the last two Summer Leagues, so this is less of a fresh introduction than a renewed opportunity.
With Micah Peavy no longer in the picture, there is a path for a player who brings energy, effort and the kind of edge that can help him hang around the edges of a roster. Shumates style has long made him an intriguing fit for a team that could use those traits, but the real test now is whether he can turn familiarity into a stronger camp showing when the competition gets more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Still Have One Roster Battle Worth Watching Closely
The Pelicans still have one open two-way contract spot, and the competition for it gives training camp a little extra edge. Kobe Bufkin, Christian Koloko and Christian Shumate are all in the mix, and each brings a different kind of appeal as New Orleans sorts through its final roster business before the season gets rolling.
This is the sort of battle that can turn on the details, since the Pelicans are not just looking for talent but for the right fit in a limited role. Camp and preseason will sort out who makes the strongest case, and with three players chasing one opening, there is at least one roster decision worth watching closely as New Orleans keeps trimming toward opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Would Be Taking A Huge Risk On Michael Porter Jr
Michael Porter Jr. has been floated as a possible trade target for New Orleans, but the appeal comes with plenty of baggage. On paper, he brings the kind of scoring punch and shot-making the Pelicans can always use, and his contract structure would force the front office to weigh him against Trey Murphy III as more than just a talent swap. It is the kind of move that can look attractive in a vacuum, especially for a team trying to sharpen its roster without taking a step backward.
The problem is the fit is not clean, and the risk does not stop at the salary sheet. New Orleans would have to sort out role overlap, roster balance and the lingering concern over Porters injury history, all while asking whether he would be in it for the long haul. Porter has also made clear he wants to stay with the Brooklyn Nets, which only adds another layer of uncertainty to any team considering a serious run at him. [Read more 🡒]