The New Orleans Pelicans have opened up another two-way spot, and Hunter Dickinson is the one moving out.
Per insider Michael Scotto, the Pelicans waived the second-year center on Tuesday after bringing him back on another two-way contract earlier this offseason. Dickinson had originally landed with New Orleans after going unselected in the 2025 NBA draft.
The decision is not a huge shock on its own. What caught more attention was the fact that the Pelicans kept him around in the first place.
Dickinson’s college résumé was loaded: two-time All-American, two-time All-Big 12 selection, and three-time All-Big Ten performer across his time with the Michigan Wolverines and Kansas Jayhawks. Over five college seasons, he averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 55.5/33.9/72.9.
But the fit has always been the question. His game has looked more comfortable in college than at the next level, and that showed in both the G League and Summer League.
The offense has long been his calling card, but he never looked built to solve the defensive issues New Orleans wants to address. The Pelicans need more strength and speed from that spot, especially if they want even average defense out of the center position.
Dickinson’s NBA sample was tiny: 2.4 points and 1.0 rebounds per game over five appearances last season, with a 35.7% field-goal mark and a perfect 100% from the free-throw line. There just isn’t much to pull from those numbers beyond the tape.
The timing also makes sense after New Orleans signed Malik Dia to a two-way deal earlier in the day, which briefly filled out the roster. With Dickinson gone, there’s now another opening for players such as Kobe Bufkin and Christian Koloko to compete for during training camp and the preseason.
And even if the Pelicans don’t use that spot on another center, Dia already looks like a defensive step up. That’s been the focus for New Orleans all offseason, which is why Dickinson’s earlier retention was so surprising.
The center spot has taken a route few expected this summer. For now, the Pelicans are banking on development to sort it out, with Yves Missi and Derik Queen as the young pieces in the middle. The bigger question is whether one offseason is enough to lift a frontcourt that was part of one of the worst defenses in the NBA last year.
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Pelicans Frontcourt Battle Just Put One Young Forward Under Pressure
The Pelicans finished filling out their 15-man roster by signing forward Trendon Watford, and that move gives New Orleans another option in a frontcourt that already looks crowded. Both Watford and Karlo Matkovi are on one-year deals, and with the club expected to lean smaller and faster without a true starting center, the power forward picture suddenly has a lot less room than it did a week ago.
Training camp under new head coach Jamahl Mosley figures to sort out the fit, but the signing also adds pressure to a young forward trying to carve out a place in the rotation. Watford brings another body into the mix, and the battle in that spot could become one of the quieter but more revealing roster questions as the Pelicans settle into Mosleys first camp with the team. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Camp Battle Could Decide More Than One Key Roster Spot
The Pelicans have already done some of the housekeeping ahead of training camp, signing Trendon Watford to a one-year deal and Malik Dia to a two-way contract while building out a roster that still features established pieces like Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson. Caleb Houstan is also under contract and expected to be around when camp opens, giving New Orleans another young name to sort through as it tries to balance immediate depth with longer-term development.
The two-way picture is where things get especially interesting, because the front office has left itself room to keep competing for one of the remaining openings. With Hunter Dickinson out of the mix after the move that cleared the spot, the Pelicans now have a camp battle that could shape more than a single line on the roster sheet, and the outcome may say plenty about how they want to blend upside, fit and readiness entering the season. [Read more 🡒]