Category: New Orleans Pelicans Blog

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Pelicans sign Lester Quinones, waive Jalen Crutcher

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Lester Quinones to a two-way contract.

In a related move, New Orleans has waived Jalen Crutcher.

Quiñones, 6-4, 208, Quinones has appeared in 27 games this season for the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, averaging 22.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 37.0 minutes per game.

Quiñones has appeared in 45 NBA games over three seasons with the Golden State Warriors and Philadlephia 76ers, holding career averages of 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 9.5 minutes per contest.

Pelicans waive Javonte Green

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived guard/forward Javonte Green.

Green, 6-4, 220, originally signed with New Orleans on August 22, 2024. He appeared in 50 games (18 starts) for the Pelicans this season, averaging 5.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 21.8 minutes per game.

In six NBA seasons with Boston, Chicago and New Orleans, Green holds career averages of 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game (245 games). Prior to the NBA, the Petersburg, Va. native played four seasons at Radford University while averaging 14.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 25.4 minutes across 133 games (122 starts).

Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram to Raptors

The Toronto Raptors announced yesterday they have acquired forward Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for guard-forward Bruce Brown, centre Kelly Olynyk, a 2026 first-round draft pick (via Indiana) and a 2031 second-round draft pick.

“We see Brandon as an integral part of this team’s future – he’s an elite scorer, he has a really diverse offensive skillset, and adding him to the young core we have is huge as we continue our quest to win in Toronto,” Raptors Vice-Chairman and President Masai Ujiri said. “At the same time we welcome Brandon, we need to really thank Bruce and Kelly. They have been professionals and leaders and they’ve been great teammates and examples for all of us. We wish them all the best moving forward.”

Ingram, 6-foot-8, 212 pounds, joins the Raptors following six seasons in New Orleans where he averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and shot .472 (2532-5365) from the field, including .372 (560-1506) from three-point range. He averaged more than 20.0 points in all six seasons and was named an NBA All-Star in 2020. Ingram also captured the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award that same season.

A native on Kinston, North Carolina, Ingram owns career averages of 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 495 games with the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans. He was picked second overall by the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft following one season at Duke where he was the ACC Freshman of the Year.

Brown was acquired from Indiana in January 2024 and averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 23.8 minutes in 52 games with Toronto.

Olynyk averaged 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 21.6 minutes in 52 contests with the Raptors after being acquired from Utah in February 2024.

Pelicans trade Daniel Theis to Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired center Daniel Theis and a 2031 second-round draft pick in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for cash considerations, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Theis [tice] (6-8, 254) has appeared in 411 career games (160 starts) and averaged 7.1 points on 53.7% shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.8 minutes per game over the course of eight NBA seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans.

The 2031 second-round draft pick acquired by the Thunder is the least favorable of New Orleans and Orlando.

Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray out with season-ending injury

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that guard Dejounte Murray has been diagnosed with a ruptured right Achilles tendon. An MRI taken last night confirmed the injury, which occurred during the first quarter of last night’s game against the Boston Celtics.

Murray will miss the remainder of the season.

Per the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “Murray, in his eighth NBA season, is in his first season with the Pelicans. He was acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks during the offseason. He came into the game averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 assists and 6.5 rebounds. Trey Murphy said he played the rest of the game for his teammate. “It hurts a lot, I can’t lie to you,” said Murphy, who scored 40 points in the loss. “He’s been through a lot already.”

Pelicans sign Jalen Crutcher

The New Orleans Pelicans recently signed guard Jalen Crutcher.

Crutcher, 6-2, 175, appeared in 33 games last season with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, in which he averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 34.5 minutes per game.

The University of Dayton product has appeared in 136 games across three G League seasons, holding career averages of 16.0 points, 5.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 34.2 minutes per contest.

In a corresponding move, New Orleans has waived Galen Robinson Jr.

Pelicans sign Matt Ryan

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Matt Ryan.

Ryan, 6-7, 215, appeared in 28 games (one start) for New Orleans during the 2023-24 season, averaging 5.4 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting .451 from three-point range.

Across three seasons, Ryan has appeared in 63 career games with New Orleans, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga product owns career averages of 4.4 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.5 assists per game while shooting .411 from deep.

Pelicans waive Matt Ryan

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived forward Matt Ryan.

Ryan, 6-7, 215, appeared in 28 games (one start) for New Orleans during the 2023-24 season, averaging 5.4 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting .451 from three-point range.

Across three seasons, Ryan has appeared in 63 career games with New Orleans, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga product owns career averages of 4.4 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.5 assists per game while shooting .411 from deep.

Pelicans sign Javonte Green

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed free agent guard/forward Javonte Green.

Green, 6-5, 205, appeared in nine games (five starts) with the Chicago Bulls during the 2023-24 season, averaging 12.2 points and 7.4 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game. Green also played in 10 games last season with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors, averaging 12.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 22.2 minutes per game.

Across five seasons, Green has appeared in 195 games (55 starts) for Chicago and Boston, averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest. Prior to the NBA, the Petersburg, Va. native played four seasons at Radford University while averaging 14.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks in 25.4 minutes across 133 games (122 starts).

Pelicans add Trey Jemison off waivers

The New Orleans Pelicans were recently awarded the two-way contract of center Trey Jemison off waivers.

Jemison, 6-10, 260, appeared in 25 games (14 starts) as a rookie last season with the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies, holding averages of 6.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 22.9 minutes per game.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham product played in nine games (all starts) for the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, during the 2023-24 regular season, averaging 13.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.