With free agency opening Tuesday night, the New Orleans Pelicans are staring at a pretty tight market and a very specific tool: the $15.05 million Non-Tax Mid Level Exception, according to Jake Madison. That gives them a path to attack the final two roster spots, but not much margin for error.
If the Pelicans want to spend that money on size and defense, New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson looks like the cleanest fit on the board. The concern is obvious - injuries have been part of his story - but New Orleans could manage him in a way that keeps him fresher, much like it did with Zion Williamson.
And on the floor, the appeal is easy to see. Robinson is a 7-foot-1 physical big who finishes well around the rim, rebounds, and protects the basket.
That matters for a Pelicans team that ran into matchups last season where it simply didn’t have a trusted answer for stronger frontcourt players. Robinson is also projected to make the $15 million New Orleans can spend, and he’s from the city.
If the Pelicans decide to lean the other direction, Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Luke Kennard brings a different kind of value. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.4 points and 2.2 assists while shooting 53.3/47.8/91.3.
The fit is obvious for a team that was among the worst three-point shooting groups in the league last season. Kennard wouldn’t have to take the full exception, and that flexibility could help New Orleans stay competitive in a bidding situation.
A small overpay might be worth it for what he offers.
The Pelicans’ current bench shooting picture is shaky, with Jordan Poole and Jordan Hawkins listed as the main options right now. Both could still be moved this offseason, since the team isn’t satisfied with them as its top choices off the bench.
Kennard would bring a much steadier track record, having finished above 41.5% from three in all but two of his nine seasons. In those two seasons, he still shot 39.4% and 39.9% early in his career.
He wouldn’t solve every issue with New Orleans’ offense, but he would give the bench a much-needed boost from deep.
In Other News...
Pelicans Make A Two-Way Roster Call Right Before Free Agency
With free agency set to open Tuesday night, the Pelicans made a pair of two-way roster decisions that helped clarify their immediate plans on the fringes of the roster. New Orleans is keeping its options open around center Hunter Dickinson, while also reshaping the back end of the roster with an eye toward what comes next.
The bigger context is the recent addition of Jaron Pierre Jr., who is expected to fill a two-way role next season and gives the club another young guard to sort through. That makes the decision on Trey Alexander part of a broader roster picture, one where New Orleans is weighing development, fit and how many two-way spots it wants committed before the market officially opens. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Could Be Near A Major Roster And Staff Decision
Saddiq Beys first season back from ACL surgery gave the Pelicans a better look at what he can still bring when healthy, and it comes at a time when New Orleans is sorting through both its roster and its staff. Bey gave the team production and versatility on the wing, the kind of player archetype that tends to matter even more when a front office is trying to build out a steadier rotation around a new coach.
The bigger question now is how the Pelicans want to handle that momentum with summer business ahead. Bey is extension-eligible beginning July 11, and there is mutual interest in continuing the relationship, but the franchise also has to weigh the timing and terms of any longer commitment while Jamahl Mosley begins putting his own imprint on the program. [Read more 🡒]