The New Orleans Pelicans still have one two-way spot to sort out, and the list of candidates has some real variety. They’ve already filled two of those three slots with second-year center Hunter Dickinson and second-round pick Jaron Pierre Jr., giving the team a backup big and a bench scoring option. That leaves one opening, and four names keep rising to the top.
Kobe Bufkin is the one plenty of people circled after Summer League. It still felt like a reach to assume he’d land there automatically, though, because the sense was that he might find a better path somewhere else.
New Orleans did bring him in on a training camp deal, so he’ll get a chance to fight for a final roster spot. If that doesn’t stick, the 22-year-old former first-round pick would still make plenty of sense on a two-way.
Malik Dia also made a strong case in Summer League. His college tape already showed the defensive motor and the way he uses his 6-foot-9 frame, but the bigger takeaway in Vegas was the scoring.
He flashed three-level offense and put together his best outing with 18 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. That kind of two-way production is exactly the sort of thing New Orleans could use more of.
Jalon Moore is another name worth watching after his path took a hit during the pre-draft process. A torn Achilles knocked him off track when he had been in position to potentially be a 2025 NBA draft pick.
The Pelicans signed him and kept him on the G League roster, and once he finally got onto the floor in Summer League, he looked like a legitimate NBA talent. His top game featured 13 points, four rebounds and three steals, and his route to sticking is pretty clear: rebound, defend, and keep making plays.
Then there’s Markquis Nowell, who brings a very different kind of appeal. At 5-foot-8, he has to overcome obvious size questions, but he showed enough in Summer League to stay in the conversation.
He forced turnovers, showed unexpected range, and finished with 15 steals over five games. That kind of disruptive energy looked a lot like the impact Jose Alvarado has provided off the bench, even if Nowell is even smaller.
He can run an offense and score, and that makes him a useful player to keep close if New Orleans needs help in a hurry.
In Other News...
Former Pelicans Big Josh Oduro Just Took His Next Career Step
Josh Oduros path since leaving college has been the kind of winding pro journey that many young bigs know well, with stops in the G League and a brief look with New Orleans on a two-way contract. He got into three games for the Pelicans, giving the organization a short but useful glimpse of his size and energy before his next opportunity came into focus.
Now Oduro is headed overseas for a fresh start, and the move puts him in position to keep building his game in a different setting. He said he is excited about joining Melbourne United and being part of a group that includes Joe Ingles and Luke Travers, a reminder that the next step in a career does not always come in the usual place. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Defensive Legacy Just Got National Love And Fans Will Notice Who Didn't
A national look at the NBAs defensive greats ended up shining a surprisingly bright light on New Orleans past. Bleacher Reports list of the 99 best defensive players in league history included seven former Pelicans or Hornets, a reminder that this franchise has long been home to some of the sports most disruptive stoppers, from DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler to Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis.
For a team that has tried to build its identity around toughness on that end of the floor, the recognition is a useful nod to the standard that has already been set. Holiday and Davis drew especially notable placement among the honored names, underscoring just how much defensive credibility has passed through New Orleans over the years, even as fans will naturally notice the current rosters most prominent defender was left waiting for his own place in that conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Cant Keep Dodging This Saddiq Bey Decision
Saddiq Beys future has quietly become one of the more important decisions on the Pelicans calendar, and the clock is already ticking toward an October 23 extension deadline. New Orleans has done little to reshape the roster this offseason beyond the coaching change, which leaves the front office weighing whether Bey fits as part of the next core after a strong comeback season following his ACL injury.
Beys recent production should at least give the Pelicans something to think about, because he looked far closer to the player they hoped they were getting than the one who was sidelined in 2024-25. At the same time, his value around the league may be rising, and New Orleans still has a glaring need in the middle, so the choice is not simply about keeping a useful wing around. [Read more 🡒]