The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into training camp with a roster that still feels unfinished, even after Saturday’s addition of Kobe Bufkin on a training camp deal.
That signing gives the Pelicans 17 confirmed bodies for camp, with one roster spot still open and another two-way slot available. More movement could still come through trades, but for now this is the group New Orleans is working with.
At guard, the picture is crowded and a little messy. Jeremiah Fears is the clear centerpiece and should get the runway that comes with being the franchise guy.
Dejounte Murray is still in the mix alongside him, while Jordan Poole and Jordan Hawkins are both mentioned as players the team appears to be shopping. Jaron Pierre Jr. is on a two-way contract, and Bufkin arrives on that training camp deal looking to carve out a place.
That makes the guard room the most expensive part of the roster, but not necessarily the strongest. New Orleans has invested heavily there, yet it still looks like the area most in need of long-term clarity next to Fears. For now, Murray seems likely to stay paired with him, while the rest of the situation remains unsettled.
The wing group is where the Pelicans can feel better about what they have. Herbert Jones Jr., Saddiq Bey, Micah Peavy and Bryce McGowens give them a deep collection of players who fit the mold of useful, dependable rotation pieces.
The source of the optimism is simple: all four can belong on a championship roster because they do the little things that matter. Even Peavy and McGowens, who sit lower in the rotation, have already shown they can be valuable in their roles.
Still, there’s a clear ask there too. New Orleans could use another true three-and-D wing, someone who can shoot and bring at least some size. The team has been linked to Ziaire Williams and Spencer Jones, which lines up with the type of player they seem to be chasing.
The frontcourt is the area that raises the biggest questions. Zion Williamson leads the group, with Yves Missi, Derik Queen, Karlo Matkovic, DeAndre Jordan and Hunter Dickinson on a two-way contract rounding it out. There’s plenty of youth in that mix, especially with Missi and Queen still early in their careers and capable of being shaped as centers over time.
But the Pelicans could have used another true big for insurance. Without one, they’re counting on development, and that leaves some risk in a frontcourt that has already had trouble holding its ground. New Orleans wants to compete for a title next year, but it is essentially running it back with a front line that was regularly bullied, minus one of the only enforcers in Kevon Looney.
In Other News...
Pelicans Just Gave A Summer League Standout A Real Chance
Kobe Bufkins summer with New Orleans has turned into something more than a tryout. After joining the Pelicans for Las Vegas Summer League, the free agent guard has now earned a chance to stick around in camp, giving the team a closer look at a player who has already bounced through a few NBA stops since Atlanta drafted him in 2023.
For the Pelicans, the appeal is obvious: Bufkin brings a fresh guard option into a roster picture that still has openings to sort out, including a two-way spot. He has NBA experience with the Lakers and has also spent time with Brooklyn and South Bay, so this is not a pure flyer on an unknown name. It is a chance for New Orleans to see whether a strong summer can carry over when the real competition starts. [Read more 🡒]
One Pelicans Trio Worked While Another Exposed The Same Old Problem
One useful snapshot from last seasons Pelicans numbers came from a trio that actually fit together: Saddiq Bey, Herb Jones and Zion Williamson posted the teams best three-man net rating, a sign that New Orleans can still find workable combinations around its best pieces when the spacing and defensive activity line up. For a roster that is expected to look largely the same next season, that matters, because the margin for error will again come down to which groups can survive long enough to matter.
The bigger question is whether the new coaching staff can sort through the same puzzle more quickly than the last one did. New Orleans has enough talent to believe the right blends are in there, but the challenge is figuring out which lineups can lift Williamson instead of crowding him, and which ones create the kind of problems the Pelicans spent too much of last season trying to solve. [Read more 🡒]