The New Orleans Pelicans reversed course on AJ Johnson almost as quickly as they sent him out.
Johnson was assigned to the G League, but the team recalled the guard just a few hours later on Friday night. The move came after an earlier update had pointed to his brief stint with the Laketown Squadron, a step that made sense given that he has not played for the Pelicans this season and doesn’t currently have a clear route to minutes in New Orleans.
At just over a month from his 22nd birthday, Johnson is still very much in developmental territory. Even though this is his third season, the path that matters most for him is simply getting on the floor, and that opportunity doesn’t appear available at the NBA level right now.
He has shown occasional flashes in both the NBA and G League, but the consistency hasn’t come with them. Across his career, Johnson has averaged 4.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 35.7/24.5/85.7. His top NBA performance came as a rookie against the Brooklyn Nets, when he put up 20 points and four assists and hit 3-of-7 from beyond the arc.
If Johnson is going to carve out a role in New Orleans this season, the clearest calling card would be his three-point shooting. That part of his game has not been steady yet, but his strong free-throw percentage hints at the possibility of a shot that can develop over time.
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AJ Johnson is the other name to watch, even if his path looks very different right now. He has been assigned to the G League and has yet to make his NBA debut for the Pelicans, and the fact that the team did not pick up his option suggests this is less about a long-term plan and more about proving he belongs somewhere in the league. [Read more 🡒]
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The appeal for the Pelicans is obvious enough: a chance to move off a massive long-term commitment and open up some financial flexibility. But any conversation around Williamson quickly circles back to the same issue, and this one is no different, because the trade idea is built around a player whose availability has always shaped the discussion as much as his talent has. It remains purely speculative, but it is the sort of proposal that forces New Orleans to confront where the line is between patience and practicality. [Read more 🡒]
Zion Williamson Is Giving The Pelicans A New Reason For Optimism
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The recent win over Sacramento offered another glimpse of that energy, with Williamson coming away with five steals as New Orleans kept turning defense into momentum. For a player long judged mostly by what he does with the ball in his hands, the early-season shift is a meaningful one for the Pelicans, who suddenly have a new reason to believe their ceiling can rise if this edge on defense holds. [Read more 🡒]