The New Orleans Pelicans still have one two-way spot left to sort out, and that gives them a little room to keep digging for help on the wing and in the frontcourt.
For now, rookie wing Jaron Pierre Jr. and rookie forward Malik Dia hold the club’s two-way slots. Hunter Dickinson was in that mix too, but he was waived after Dia was signed. With the active roster set, the Pelicans can still decide what they want to do with that final opening.
Caleb Houstan is in training camp and adds another layer to the wing picture, though he is not two-way eligible. New Orleans could also choose to bring in another enforcer for the frontcourt with the spot.
Among the forwards still available, Drew Timme is one name worth watching. He was a standout at Gonzaga and an entertaining college player, but his game has looked more suited to that level than the NBA so far.
Still, there is offensive upside here, especially for a team looking for floor spacing up front. Timme played in 27 games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season and went 11-of-25 from three.
Seven of those makes came in his three best shooting performances, when he hit 7-of-11 from deep.
Keshad Johnson brings a different edge. His style fits a staff that will appreciate effort and activity.
In 27 career G-League games, he has averaged 3.0 combined steals and blocks. He has also shown some streaky shooting touch, connecting on 49.0% of his shots on 6.1 attempts over eight games last season.
In the NBA, Johnson averaged 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds across 32 bench appearances last season. He may not have the same ceiling as Pierre or Dia, but he looks like the kind of player New Orleans could call on without much hesitation.
Dillon Jones is another forward the Pelicans could evaluate. Drafted in the first round in 2024, he has not broken into NBA rotations much yet, though that has been shaped in part by spending time with the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks. His G League work, though, has shown the kind of wing profile New Orleans could use.
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