The New Orleans Pelicans couldn’t really make a splash this offseason, boxed in by bad contracts that left little room to maneuver. That should change next year, and the 2027 free-agent class could give them a chance to reshape the roster.
There are already a few money situations worth watching on the Pelicans’ side. The team is trying to move Jordan Hawkins’ money right now, and another $40 million is set to come off the books from Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey alone.
Bey could still land an extension, though. Bennedict Mathurin is also in line to be a 2027 free agent, and if he has the kind of year New Orleans wants to see, he could be in position for a major payday from the team.
He has a player option next season worth around $8 million, but he’ll likely pass on that regardless.
If the Pelicans go shopping next summer, Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. looks like the most obvious name to track. He carried a weak Nets team last season and still put up big numbers: 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 46.3/36.3/85.9. For New Orleans, he’d bring real scoring punch, but he’d also come with the same defensive concerns that have followed him before.
The fit gets even more interesting because Porter works best as a second or third option, the way he did with the Denver Nuggets. If he’s willing to embrace that role again, he becomes a lot more appealing. If not, that’s where things get tricky.
Another name that should be on the Pelicans’ radar is Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett. New Orleans could even have some fun with it and reunite part of that 2018 Duke Blue Devils group that once crowded the top of the draft. Zion Williamson and Barrett have both carved out strong careers, and Barrett would give the Pelicans a younger piece who lines up with Williamson and Trey Murphy.
Barrett is 26, and he fits the age curve New Orleans seems to be building around. He averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for Toronto, shooting 49.1/33.9/71.7. He’d also add the kind of tough, flexible defense the Pelicans have been chasing.
In Other News...
Pelicans Core Faces A New Debate As Trey Murphy Keeps Rising
The Pelicans have found themselves with an interesting kind of recognition as the new season approaches, with three players landing on The Ringers top 100 list. Dejounte Murray checks in at No. 89 after a career built on past achievements and a return from injury, while Zion Williamson sits at No. 48 thanks to his leadership and scoring efficiency. It is Trey Murphy, though, who stands out as the fastest-rising name in the group, landing at No. 49 and continuing to build a profile that has grown alongside his shooting efficiency.
Murphys spot just behind Williamson adds a fresh wrinkle to the way New Orleans core is being viewed nationally, especially with the rankings due for an update soon. The Pelicans have long centered their hopes on Williamsons ceiling and Murrays steadying presence, but Murphys ascent suggests the conversation around the roster is no longer only about the established stars. If the list shifts again before opening night, the order of this trio could become one more small measure of how far Murphy has come. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Still Have One Massive Zion Decision Hanging Over Them
Zion Williamson spent the offseason in the familiar center of leaguewide speculation, with rival front offices and fans alike wondering whether New Orleans might eventually explore a different direction. Instead, he remained with the Pelicans, joining a small group of high-profile All-Stars whose names surfaced in trade chatter but never actually changed teams. For New Orleans, that left the focus where it has often been with Williamson: not on what other teams might offer, but on what the organization believes he can still become.
The bigger question now is how long that patience lasts. Williamsons talent has never been in doubt, and the Pelicans have consistently had to weigh his upside against the realities that have followed him from season to season. With the offseason noise quieting down, the organization is still sitting on one of the NBAs most significant decisions, and the lack of movement only makes the next step feel more consequential. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Have A Backcourt Problem That Could Derail Their Rotation
The Pelicans 2026-27 roster looks plenty interesting on paper, but the guard rotation already has a soft spot that could matter once the season starts. With Dejounte Murray and Jeremiah Fears penciled in as the starters, the question is what happens behind them, especially after losing Jose Alvarado, who had long helped stabilize that part of the lineup. Jordan Poole gives New Orleans another ball-handling option, but the fit is not so straightforward that it solves everything by itself.
Kobe Bufkin may end up as a third-string answer, yet that only underscores how thin the safety net is if injuries hit or the rotation gets reshuffled. For a team trying to build something sturdier around its backcourt, the lack of a clean backup point guard solution could become more than a side issue. It is the kind of roster wrinkle that does not always show up right away, but can start to shape how the entire rotation holds together. [Read more 🡒]