The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into 2026 NBA Summer League with a roster built for more than just box scores. For a handful of undrafted players, Las Vegas is a chance to turn a short stay into something bigger - a training camp invite, an Exhibit 10 deal, or maybe even a longer look from the organization.
Assistant coach God Shammgod will have a group that’s auditioning as much as it’s competing. And among the names worth watching, five undrafted prospects stand out for very different reasons.
Melvin Council Jr. brings the kind of edge teams always notice. The former Kansas guard just walked away with 2026 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament MVP honors, and the calling card is obvious: pressure defense, leadership, and smart decisions with the ball.
He makes life miserable for opposing ball-handlers and creates turnovers, which gives him a real shot at building a future. The question is whether the shot comes with him.
If his three-point range develops, his defensive value gets even harder to ignore.
Chris Bell offers something every roster needs: shooting. The 6-foot-7 wing hit 40 percent of his three-pointers in his final season at California, and that kind of efficiency travels.
He has the size to fit the modern game and the kind of smooth release that lets him rise over defenders. The next step is less glamorous but just as important - he’ll need to add strength and rebound better if he wants to handle the physical grind of the pro level.
Christian Shumate has made a career out of bringing effort. The former McNeese State standout was named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year twice, and that tells you plenty about the kind of player he is.
He rebounds, he competes, he defends multiple spots, and he brings toughness and leadership every night. What he has to prove now is whether the offense can keep up, especially when he’s away from the basket.
Malik Dia comes into Summer League with one of the more interesting offensive profiles on the Pelicans’ front line. The former Mississippi forward mixes strength with face-up scoring, giving him ways to attack from different areas on the floor.
He can score inside and has enough versatility to look like a modern power forward. The hurdle is the other end and the connective tissue in between - he’ll need better defensive consistency and more playmaking to hold up against NBA competition.
Then there’s Jalon Moore, whose athleticism jumps out immediately. He can fly in transition, attack the rim, and erase shots from the weak side, and that kind of burst gives him a chance to stand out fast.
His motor is a major selling point, and his defensive upside is real. But to become more than an energy guy, he’ll have to expand what he can do in the half court.
That’s the real weight of Summer League for this group. It’s not just a few games in Las Vegas.
It’s every possession under a microscope, every hustle play evaluated, every defensive stop noticed by Pelicans coaches and front-office executives. A strong run could open more doors in New Orleans or put these players on the radar elsewhere around the league.
The Pelicans may not be rolling out first-round names, but they do have five undrafted players with something to prove. Council, Bell, Shumate, Dia, and Moore each bring a different skill set, and each has a path to making noise if the opportunity is there.
Summer League has a way of changing careers. One of these guys could be next.
In Other News...
Hunter Dickinson Just Got A Real Chance To Change His Pelicans Future
Hunter Dickinsons path with New Orleans took another small but meaningful step on July 4, when he re-signed a two-way contract and kept his NBA pursuit alive after going undrafted in 2025. Rather than take the overseas route, he stayed in the mix with the Pelicans, giving himself another runway to show he can translate his size and skill into a role at the next level.
His next chance comes in the 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where the Pelicans will get a fresh look at how far he has come. Defense, conditioning and three-point shooting will all be part of the evaluation, and for Dickinson, every possession matters as he tries to turn a developmental opportunity into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Summer League Could Reveal What This New Regime Really Wants
The Summer League in Las Vegas is usually where teams sort through fringe roster hopefuls and recent draft picks, but for the Pelicans it arrives with a little more weight this year. Under new executive vice president Joe Dumars, head coach Jamahl Mosley and assistant God Shammgod, the tournament will serve as an early look at how the new regime wants to evaluate young talent, coach on the fly and shape the next layer of the roster.
Kobe Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson are among the most closely watched names, while Melvin Council Jr., Chris Bell, Christian Shumate, Jalon Moore and Malik Dia are all trying to turn summer minutes into something more permanent. The bigger question is what New Orleans values most in those evaluations, because the mix of two-way and roster battles should tell a lot about the direction this front office wants to take, even if the clearest answer does not come until the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Pelicans Trade Target Could Force A Huge Frontcourt Decision
The Pelicans are weighing a frontcourt move that would bring a very different look to their rotation, one centered on adding a big man who can stretch the floor and protect the rim. For a team trying to balance size, spacing and defensive reliability, that kind of fit is easy to understand, especially when the current roster could use another interior presence who does more than just occupy space near the basket.
Still, the appeal comes with real roster math attached. New Orleans would have to decide how much it is willing to give up to make the numbers work, and there are already questions about whether the player in question gives enough on the glass to justify the investment. The Pelicans have avenues to explore through salary matching and protected draft capital, but any serious pursuit would force them to confront a frontcourt decision that could shape the next few seasons. [Read more 🡒]