Christian Shumate is getting another look in New Orleans, and the timing could hardly be better for him.
According to The Spot Up Shot’s Paul Garcia, the Pelicans have signed Shumate to a training camp deal. It’s a return engagement for the 6-foot-6 forward, who was an undrafted rookie the team brought in last offseason, spent last year with New Orleans’ G League affiliate, and has also shown up in the last two Summer Leagues. He’s also a familiar name in Louisiana from his college days at McNeese State.
Shumate has carved out an identity as a high-energy, athletic wing-forward who brings hustle and can help as a connective defender. He still hasn’t broken through as a real NBA rotation player, but the Pelicans’ willingness to keep him around says plenty. With Micah Peavy now gone, there’s a clearer opening for the kind of role Shumate can potentially fill.
He and Peavy aren’t the same player, and nobody should pretend otherwise. Peavy went in the early second round last summer and appeared in 61 games for New Orleans because he’s an elite defender.
Shumate, by contrast, entered the league undrafted and had to start his pro run in the G League. But there is overlap in the stuff that matters: both play with force, both fight through screens, both chase loose balls, and both attack the glass with purpose.
Shumate, though, is the better pure athlete.
That matters for this roster. The Pelicans have plenty of talent, but they don’t have many players who can make an impact without dominating the ball.
The starting group will likely sort out its offensive rhythm, but the second unit could be trickier. Based on the projections laid out, Saddiq Bey, Bennedict Mathurin, Jeremiah Fears, and Derik Queen would all be part of Jamahl Mosley’s bench group.
That makes a player like Shumate useful. He cuts hard, screens with more strength than you’d expect from an undersized forward, runs in transition, gets stops, and helps create second-chance opportunities. If he can show that in camp, he’ll give the front office a reason to keep investing.
The shooting still has to come along. His 33 percent mark from three in the G League last season isn’t enough, though it did improve from the 30.9 percent he posted in his final college year. If that trend keeps moving the right way, it only helps his case.
For Shumate, simply being back in camp matters. It signals that someone in Joe Dumars’ front office sees value there.
And with Micah Peavy no longer in the picture, the Pelicans have a hole for a hustle-first, connective wing. If Shumate makes the most of this chance, he could push his way into something more permanent.
In Other News...
Pelicans Still Have One Roster Battle Worth Watching Closely
The Pelicans still have one open two-way contract spot, and the competition for it gives training camp a little extra edge. Kobe Bufkin, Christian Koloko and Christian Shumate are all in the mix, and each brings a different kind of appeal as New Orleans sorts through its final roster business before the season gets rolling.
This is the sort of battle that can turn on the details, since the Pelicans are not just looking for talent but for the right fit in a limited role. Camp and preseason will sort out who makes the strongest case, and with three players chasing one opening, there is at least one roster decision worth watching closely as New Orleans keeps trimming toward opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Would Be Taking A Huge Risk On Michael Porter Jr
Michael Porter Jr. has been floated as a possible trade target for New Orleans, but the appeal comes with plenty of baggage. On paper, he brings the kind of scoring punch and shot-making the Pelicans can always use, and his contract structure would force the front office to weigh him against Trey Murphy III as more than just a talent swap. It is the kind of move that can look attractive in a vacuum, especially for a team trying to sharpen its roster without taking a step backward.
The problem is the fit is not clean, and the risk does not stop at the salary sheet. New Orleans would have to sort out role overlap, roster balance and the lingering concern over Porters injury history, all while asking whether he would be in it for the long haul. Porter has also made clear he wants to stay with the Brooklyn Nets, which only adds another layer of uncertainty to any team considering a serious run at him. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Is Already Facing Big Expectations In Dallas
While the attention around the Mavericks has been fixed on Cooper Flagg and the expectations already building around him in Dallas, there was also more roster movement across the league that matters to the Pelicans corner of the map. Bennedict Mathurins new two-year deal with New Orleans came in at $15,375,000, a commitment that gives the team another young scorer to fold into its plans while the rest of the league keeps sorting out how its own young talent will be managed.
The broader offseason picture keeps pushing down the same path for New Orleans: teams are locking in pieces, coaches are setting standards, and the competition for young players only gets sharper. Duke coach Jon Scheyer says he is staying put rather than chasing an NBA job, while Flaggs trainer is already talking about the expectations awaiting him under Dusty May in Dallas. For the Pelicans, the more immediate question is how quickly Mathurin can settle into his new role, especially with other clubs around the league making similarly decisive moves. [Read more 🡒]