The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into training camp with a fresh look at the margins, and this week’s two-way group could end up being more interesting than it first sounds. The club only just finished filling out those spots, but there’s already a clear theme: each player brings a different skill set, and each has a specific lane to prove he belongs.
That matters in New Orleans, because the Pelicans already saw what can happen when a two-way player seizes the moment. Bryce McGowens was in that exact role last year and turned it into a standard contract before the season wrapped up. So while these are technically developmental spots, they are not being treated like throwaway roster filler.
Julian Reese looks like the cleanest fit for a defined job. The Pelicans brought him in for a reason: he posted a solid rookie season with the Washington Wizards and showed enough to earn another NBA look.
Across 13 appearances, he averaged 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 52.9% from the field. The big draw was his work on the glass, and he also chipped in 1.4 steals per game.
New Orleans will gladly take any offense he can add, but the staff is going to be watching his defensive activity and rebounding first.
Jaron Pierre Jr. gives the Pelicans something a little different. He was their only draft pick, selected near the end of the second round, and he’s coming home to New Orleans after growing up there.
The 24-year-old will suit up for the Laketown Squadron this season, with a chance to play in front of family and friends. Offensively, he has some real juice: he can finish above the rim and knock down shots from deep.
His best college season came with 21.6 points per game and a 38.2% mark from three. He’s older than your typical rookie, but that could make him more ready to help if the Pelicans need a spark.
Malik Dia rounded out the group after the draft, even though he had been mentioned as a possibility with the team’s lone second-round pick. New Orleans ultimately signed him as a free agent, and he already gave the organization something to think about with a strong Summer League showing. There, he started flashing real promise as a floor spacer, which gives him a path to stand out in camp.
For the Pelicans, the assignment is simple: see who can translate a little bit of promise into something usable. On a two-way roster, that’s the whole game.
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What makes the competition worth watching is how varied the paths are. Some of the candidates arrive with more experience, some with more developmental upside, and some with contract questions that could shape how long they stay in the mix. For New Orleans, the decision is less about filling out camp bodies than finding the best blend of immediate help and future value, which means this battle could end up shaping the bench in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger clue may have been what happened when he was on the floor. New Orleans was 8.2 points better per 100 possessions with Murray playing, a strong sign that his impact went well beyond the box score and the injury caution around him. If he can carry that kind of two-way influence into a healthier season, he may end up being the move that quietly reshapes how the Pelicans play. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Fans Have Heard This Zion Fix Before
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It is a familiar refrain for a player whose talent has never been in question, only the shape of the game that follows. The skepticism is easy to understand given Zions past three-point volume, and the Pelicans know the idea of him becoming a true spacing threat has been floated before in similar situations with other players. The question is whether this version of the plan is the real next step or just another optimistic chapter in a long-running conversation. [Read more 🡒]