The New Orleans Pelicans have their training camp roster filled out, and that leaves one final two-way opening for a small group of players to chase.
At the moment, Jaron Pierre Jr. and Malik Dia occupy the team’s two-way contracts. Pierre is the Pelicans’ lone 2026 NBA draft pick, while Dia arrived as an undrafted rookie. That pairing already gives New Orleans two wings, with one leaning offense and the other defense, so the last spot could go in a few different directions.
Caleb Houstan is in camp on a training camp deal, but he is not eligible to be stashed on a two-way because he has already logged four seasons. The real competition is among the players who can still fit that mold, and here’s how the field stacks up.
Kobe Bufkin looks like the most natural name to circle. After Summer League, plenty of people were ready to hand him the job, though it always felt like a stretch because another team might offer him a better path.
He is in camp on a training camp contract and is battling for a standard roster spot, but if he falls short, a two-way deal would make sense for a former first-round pick who is still just about to turn 23. If he can knock down shots in camp and preseason, New Orleans may have a hard time turning him away.
Christian Koloko brings a different kind of case. He has size and strength that stand out on a roster full of smaller bodies, and he can provide some rim protection.
The question is whether he can be steady enough on the glass. His NBA résumé is still thin, with career averages of 2.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game across 122 appearances, so the production has to catch up to the physical tools.
Christian Shumate is the wild card of the group, but he is not coming from nowhere. New Orleans brought him in recently, and this front office already has some familiarity with him after he spent last season as a camp signee and G League player in the organization.
He is another wing, which does create some overlap with Dia, but two-way spots are about finding useful pieces wherever they show up. Shumate will need to do the dirty work, yet he still has a real shot.
In Other News...
Pelicans Give A Familiar Hustle Forward A Real Shot To Impress
Christian Shumate is getting another look in New Orleans, this time with a training camp deal that gives the familiar hustle forward a chance to make his case in a more meaningful setting. He already knows the organization from his time with the Pelicans G League affiliate, and he has been around the teams orbit through the last two Summer Leagues, so this is less of a fresh introduction than a renewed opportunity.
With Micah Peavy no longer in the picture, there is a path for a player who brings energy, effort and the kind of edge that can help him hang around the edges of a roster. Shumates style has long made him an intriguing fit for a team that could use those traits, but the real test now is whether he can turn familiarity into a stronger camp showing when the competition gets more serious. [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 🡒]