The New Orleans Pelicans now have the full picture for their four Emirates NBA Cup group games.
The NBA unveiled the group-play schedule Wednesday morning, locking in when the Pelicans will face the rest of West Group B: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. New Orleans was placed in that group back in June.
The Pelicans will open the tournament at home, with back-to-back games at the Smoothie King Center. Minnesota visits on Nov. 6, followed by Memphis on Nov.
- After that, New Orleans goes on the road for two straight, meeting Oklahoma City on Nov. 20 and the Clippers on Nov.
The in-season tournament is now in its second year, after the NBA introduced it during the 2023-'24 season. The league’s 30 teams are split into six groups of five, with the six group winners and two wild-card teams moving on to the knockout round.
That next stage begins with the quarterfinals on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 8 and 9. The championship is scheduled for Dec. 11 in Indianapolis, after the event was staged in Las Vegas for its first three years.
The Pelicans also learned two more dates earlier this year. They’ll play the San Antonio Spurs twice in Europe, starting with a Jan. 14 game at Accor Arena in Paris, France. Three days later, the teams will meet again in Manchester, England, at Co-op Live.
That European trip is part of the NBA’s multi-year slate of regular-season games in Europe.
The league will release the full NBA schedule Thursday.
In Other News...
Pelicans Have A 2027 Draft Opportunity Fans Should Already Be Watching
The long view already matters in New Orleans, and one of the more intriguing pieces on the horizon is a first-round pick the Pelicans hold from Milwaukee for the 2027 NBA draft. It is the kind of asset that can quietly shape a franchises next move before most fans are even fully focused on it, especially for a team that has spent plenty of time weighing present-day roster needs against the value of future flexibility.
The early buzz around that draft class is part of what makes the pick worth tracking now, with Kansas forward Tyran Stokes, Arkansas guard Jordan Smith Jr. and Arizona guard Caleb Holt drawing attention as possible high-end targets. Each brings a different profile, and for the Pelicans the appeal is obvious: a chance to land a premium talent at a time when the roster picture could look very different than it does today. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Still Face One Contract Debate As Dejounte Murray Rebounds
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Even with that bit of relief, the contract conversation in New Orleans is far from settled. The Pelicans are also focused on building around Jeremiah Favors as the future point guard, which puts a spotlight on how the roster is taking shape beyond Murray. Jordan Pooles expiring contract is another piece of the puzzle, and in some eyes it may end up looking like the teams toughest financial question if the season doesnt go the right way. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Quiet Offseason Puts Dumars And This Roster Under Pressure
Joe Dumars made it clear the Pelicans were active behind the scenes this offseason, saying the front office had plenty of trade conversations but never found a deal that truly improved the team enough to justify pulling the trigger. For a roster that has now gone through back-to-back seasons with fewer than 30 wins, the lack of movement stands out, especially with most of the core still in place and Jamahl Mosley arriving as the new head coach to try to steer a group that has not met expectations.
The bigger issue for New Orleans is what comes next. Dumars comments suggest patience for now, but they also leave the franchise in a familiar spot, stuck between wanting to compete and needing real change to get there. With the offseason largely quiet and the roster mostly intact, the Pelicans enter the year with a new coach, an experienced executive making the calls and an open question about whether the next decisive move is still coming. [Read more 🡒]