Pelicans Add Intriguing Guard With More At Stake Than Camp Depth

Amidst a series of strategic signings and waivers, NBA hopefuls find fresh opportunities with the Pelicans, Timberwolves, and Spurs through training camp contracts and potential G League pathways.

The Pelicans have added another name to their camp mix, signing former Raptors guard Markquis Nowell to a training camp deal, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot. Nowell, the former Kansas State standout, spent most of the 2023/24 season on a two-way contract with Toronto after going undrafted in 2023.

Last season took Nowell overseas, where he suited up for Baskonia and posted 5.7 points and 3.0 assists across 28 EuroLeague games, logging 14.4 minutes per contest. The 5-foot-7 point guard may be headed back to the U.S. this season, with a possible path to New Orleans’ G League affiliate.

If the move is in fact an Exhibit 10 deal and Nowell is waived before the start of 2026/27, he could be in line for a bonus worth up to $91K if he spends at least 60 days with the Laketown Squadron, the Pelicans’ newly rebranded and relocated NBAGL team. Exhibit 10 contracts can also be converted into two-way deals.

Minnesota made a couple of roster moves of its own, signing free agent guard Stephen Thompson to a training camp contract while waiving guard Jules Bernard, per Garcia and NBA.com’s transaction log. Thompson, 29, went undrafted in 2019 out of Oregon State and has bounced through Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico and the G League since then. He has also spent the past 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 from the field, .414 from three and .713 at the line. If Minnesota’s NBAGL affiliate is the destination, the Iowa Wolves would need to acquire his rights.

San Antonio also got in on the action, signing Jayden Nunn on Friday, per Garcia. The former Baylor guard went undrafted last year and 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 appeared in three games in Italy with Pallacanestro Brescia last season.

In Other News...

Jordan Poole Feels Like The Pelicans' Next Tough Decision

The Pelicans have already made one notable call on their roster plans by extending Saddiq Bey on a three-year deal, and now the attention shifts to Jordan Poole. New Orleans is weighing whether to move the guard, whose fit under new head coach Jamahl Mosley has been uneven and whose performance has been inconsistent enough to keep the front office from feeling settled on him long term.

Pooles situation is getting harder to ignore with Dejounte Murray set to return from injury, a development that should naturally cut into his role. With his contract expiring, the Pelicans are staring at a familiar kind of decision for a team trying to balance talent, fit and timing, and this one could shape the backcourt picture well beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]

Dejounte Murray Just Set The Tone For New Orleans' Next Step

Dejounte Murray is already looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, and his message to the Pelicans is clear: the focus has to stay on the group, not the individual. In a recent interview, the veteran point guard talked about his goals and the leadership approach he wants to bring to New Orleans, with a playoff push at the center of it all.

For a team moving into a new era with a new head coach and a young roster, that kind of voice matters. Murrays value goes beyond what he does with the ball, because the Pelicans are counting on him to help set the tone for how they work, how they grow and how they handle the pressure that comes with trying to turn promise into results. [Read more 🡒]