Tag: New Orleans Pelicans

Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Dec. 9-15

One of them didn’t play at all this past week.

Former Notre Dame guard [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] had a couple of opportunities to prove himself with the San Antonio Spurs this past week. After not playing in a Dec. 8 win against the New Orleans Pelicans, he scored eight points and tied his season high with eight assists Dec. 13 to help beat the Portland Trail Blazers. Four points and five assists while losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 15 meant averaging 6.0 points and 6.5 assists for the week.

With the Milwaukee Bucks winning a couple of games to advance to the NBA Cup final, Doc Rivers opted to leave [autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] on the bench the entire week. While it’s hard to tell what will happen when the Bucks battle the Oklahoma City Thunder for the title Dec. 17, this past week suggests Connaughton won’t play in that game either unless it’s a blowout and Rivers empties his bench. It’s tough to see Connaughton drop out of the Bucks’ rotation, but that’s the life of an NBA player, especially as one gets older.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Lonzo Ball thinks his dad’s Big Baller Brand sneakers may have led to his knee injuries

Lonzo Ball thinks it’s a possibility that LaVar’s brand caused some damage.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has a complicated injury history that has made his professional basketball career increasingly difficult.

While he eventually resumed his time in the NBA after missing more than 1,000 days and immediately drained a 3-pointer upon his return, the details surrounding his injuries sounded gruesome.

We will never know why the former No. 2 overall pick had such a tough time with his knees. But during a recent feature by Ramona Shelburne and Jamal Collier, he was asked if wearing his family-owned Big Baller Brand played a role (via ESPN):

“I think it’s a possibility for sure, to be honest with you,” Ball said. “I wasn’t really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them.”

During the conversation, Lonzo admitted that he was interested in wearing Adidas.

He added that he was told that “nobody” wanted to partner with him, so he decided to just wear the brand. However, he described them as like “kickball” shoes.

While the brand eventually had Skechers manufacture the sneaker, Ball “wasn’t happy” with those either. He also wondered if perhaps playing on concrete while running sprints in Chino Hills played a role in his cartilage issues as well.

“I don’t feel like I would be where I’m at if I didn’t do all that stuff,” Ball said. “All the work that we put in, it could have hurt, but it also made us who we are. “

Even though he is not sure any of this was good for his knees, it is at least encouraging that Ball does not have any regrets about his decisions.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1373]

Former Duke basketball star Zion Williamson sidelined indefinitely with hamstring strain

Former Duke basketball star Zion Williamson is sidelined again with an injury, this time a hamstring strain.

Former Duke basketball star [autotag]Zion Williamson[/autotag] got bit by the injury bug once again on Saturday.

ESPN reporter Shams Charania reported that the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft will miss an undetermined amount of time with a hamstring strain. He’s considered out indefinitely.

Williamson has been incredibly effective on the court since his rookie season, averaging 24.6 points per game across his career with at least 22.5 in every season, but he only played 184 out of a possible 390 games across the first five seasons of his career.

He’d played in six games to start the 2024-25 season, putting up 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals.

Williamson made waves as the freshman in Durham, averaging 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 2.1 steals en route to national player of the year honors. Khaman Maluach, a freshman center on this year’s team, said his family in South Sudan recognized Duke from the highlight tapes they watched of Williamson.

Cooper Flagg must join the NBA’s Eastern Conference to balance out the league

The NBA NEEDS Cooper Flagg in the Eastern Conference.

With all due respect to fans of woeful NBA teams like the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers, it’s time we have a frank conversation. And I apologize for how it will exclude your totally valid (but, to me, ultimately tertiary) needs as diehard supporters of your respective favorite teams.

The NBA’s latest truly generational draft prospect, Duke’s Cooper Flagg, must play in the Eastern Conference when he likely jumps to the league in the summer of 2025. Full stop.

There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it, either.

If we want to have a truly healthy and balanced NBA, throwing another potential franchise superstar like Flagg into an already-stacked West is a dire scenario for the league. The sheer talent disparity between the two conferences — the West has had more All-NBA players every season for 26 straight years — is already way too glaring.

The East’s embarrassingly slow start to the 2024-2025 season only confirms as much. It’s still a small sample size (less than 10 games into the year at the time of this writing), but here are some eye-opening early numbers to keep in mind if you’re one of those people who’d like to see Flagg play somewhere West of the Rocky Mountains:

  • Only two East teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, currently have a winning record. That’s right. Quite literally, everyone else outside of Cleveland and Boston in the East is straddling the line at .500 or lower. Yikes.
  • Eight of the NBA’s 10 best records so far belong to Western Conference teams. Eight. EIGHT.
  • The West, itself, is winning over 70 percent of its games head-to-head with the East so far. That’s roughly a 57-win pace over an 82-game season, by the way. A real ho-hum kind of dominance.
  • The East, itself, is also being heavily dragged down by the struggling Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, who were supposed to be bellwethers as conference heavyweights. From injuries and age to good old-fashioned bad luck, these two teams are instead mired at the bottom of the standings. Tough scene.

I know it’s tempting to say we’ll appreciate someone with Flagg’s unique all-around abilities wherever he plays. Which, sure. That’s part of the deal we make as sports fans. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting back and appreciating the show talented athletes can put on.

You take what you can get. I understand.

Still, this massive disparity between the NBA’s East and West simply cannot continue. Flagg and the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama are/were considered two of the best draft prospects in the league in years. For both of them to play on Western teams in a conference where, for example, a 50-win team was the fifth seed last season (a 50-win team was the No. 2 seed in the East) would be an unmitigated disaster for competitive balance.

Western teams already tear each other apart all year. Meanwhile, the 2-3 squads fighting at the top of the East get to be on cruise control as they please. A possible superstar like Flagg going West would just make it even worse. It’s not tenable or sustainable for players or fans of Western teams. (The conference really needs more “nights off,” if you know what I mean!)

The East needs an injection of potential all-time youth and talent. Badly.

So, this is my message to fans of fledgling squads like the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors. I’m really rooting for you.

Go capture that Flagg.

The NBA’s interconference competitive balance might depend on it.

Dejounte Murray got hurt during his Pelicans debut and it was an awful start to the Dyson Daniels trade

This is NOT ideal for Dejounte Murray and the Pelicans.

The Pelicans made a push this offseason, trading the promising Dyson Daniels to the Hawks for 2022 NBA All-Star guard Dejounte Murray.

While it seemed like a trade that could help New Orleans contend this season, the deal is already off to an incredibly bad start for the franchise. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, during his first regular-season game with the team, Murray was injured.

The guard suffered a fractured left hand during Opening Night against the Bulls. It is a difficult pill to swallow for the organization, who are now sadly without their starting point guard for an extended period of time.

According to Jeff Stotts, the expected recovery time is approximately between 15 and 17 and games.

So expect New Orleans to not have Murray for the first one-fifth of the season.

The good news is that CJ MCollum can play some point guard for the Pelicans if they wish.

Although he has a right knee contusion, backup point guard Jose Alvarado is also able to serviceably fill in for Murray as well.

But on the other hand, the player the Pelicans traded to acquire Murray looked outstanding during his first game with the Hawks.

Daniels was absolutely astonishing on both ends of the floor for Atlanta, beginning his tenure with the team by recording 15 points with 5 rebounds as well as 5 steals and 1 block. He added 2 assists as well.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1373]

2024-25 New Orleans Pelicans: A quick preview

The New Orleans Pelicans made a significant move by trading for Dejounte Murray this offseason, enhancing their team significantly. The addition of Murray gives the Pelicans a formidable backcourt when paired with CJ McCollum, potentially elevating …

The New Orleans Pelicans made a significant move by trading for Dejounte Murray this offseason, enhancing their team significantly. The addition of Murray gives the Pelicans a formidable backcourt when paired with CJ McCollum, potentially elevating the team into playoff contention. However, significant questions remain, particularly regarding their center position.

Their core remains strong with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram (rumored to be on the trade block), McCollum, and now Murray. This group provides a blend of scoring, playmaking, and perimeter defense that could propel the Pelicans into the higher echelons of the Western Conference if they mesh well.

The Pelicans will need to address their frontcourt depth, as the current options – rookie Yves Missi, veteran Daniel Theis, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl – may not suffice for the rigors of a full NBA season.

Stylistically, the Pelicans are set to improve their pace and three-point shooting, areas where they’ve previously struggled. Murray and Herb Jones are expected to ignite their transition offense with their defensive prowess.

Trey Murphy: ‘I play basketball to win, I don’t play basketball to stat-chase’

Trey Murphy just can’t catch a break. After missing a good chunk of last season, he is set to miss the start of this season with a hamstring injury. On behalf of Call of Duty and the looming release of Black Ops 6 on October 25, the fourth-year …

Trey Murphy just can’t catch a break. After missing a good chunk of last season, he is set to miss the start of this season with a hamstring injury.

On behalf of Call of Duty and the looming release of Black Ops 6 on October 25, the fourth-year sharpshooter took some time away from his rehab to chat with HoopsHype. He discussed his shooting slump last season, dealing with injuries, why players in his era think of Kobe Bryant as their GOAT, and more.

Former Alabama SF Herb Jones projected to be on 2028 US Olympic Team

2028 US Men’s Olympic Basketball team projected to include former Alabama F Herb Jones.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games officially concluded Sunday evening, but the US Men’s Basketball Team slammed the door shut on the whole event Saturday as they took home the gold medal over host country France.

For the United States, it was the conclusion of this era of basketball as it is likely the last time we will see LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry dawn the red white and blue. This year’s tournament marked the fifth straight gold medal for the US and a staggering eight of the last nine.

The rest of the world continues to get better at a very rapid rate, but with the 2028 Olympic Games taking place on US soil, they will once again be the team to beat. CBS Sports projects what the US roster will look like for the Los Angeles Olympics games. Anthony Edwards and Jason Tatum should both be back with Team USA, but other than them, it could be a whole new cast of players. Sam Quinn of CBS projects former Alabama Crimson Tide SF Herb Jones to be on the team saying,

“Speaking of weaker offensive links, here’s our big bigger wing defender who is also steadily improving but by no means proven shooter. From a rotation stand point, Jones and Suggs would likely be used depending on matchups. Suggs makes more sense against guards. Jones makes more sense against wings or even centersm though he can handle guards quite well in his own right.”

Jones was outstanding for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2023-24 as he averaged 11.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 2.6 apg and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. The former second-round pick may go down as one of the best value picks in NBA draft history.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Report: Pelicans sign Antonio Reeves to 3-year, $5.41 million rookie contract

Former Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves signed his rookie contract with the Pelicans on Monday.

Former Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves, the 47th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, signed his rookie contract with the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, the team announced.

The contract is reportedly worth $5.41 million over three years, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Pelicans likely signed Reeves via the second-round pick exception, which was introduced in the new collective bargaining agreement last year.

Reeves was voted a third-team All-American last season after averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a fifth-year senior. He was one of three players to shoot at least 50% from the field, 44% from 3-point range and 86.3% from the free-throw line.

Reeves debuted with the Pelicans in the NBA Summer League this month, averaging 11.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one steal on 32% shooting from 3-point range. He reached double figures three times, including 18 points on Saturday.

The 23-year-old had a strong showing and proved why the Pelicans selected him in the second round. He displayed his offensive versatility and defended at a high level by playing the passing lanes and bringing energy during his time on the court.

Reeves claimed the 14th spot on the roster by signing a standard contract with the team. He should have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the rotation in training camp.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650261140]

Pelicans sign 2022 second-round pick Karlo Matković to 3-year rookie contract

Karlo Matković, the 52nd pick in the 2022 NBA draft, signed a three-year rookie contract with the Pelicans.

Karlo Matković, the 52nd pick in the 2022 NBA draft, signed a three-year, $4.9 million rookie contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Matković, who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, joined the organization in February and finished the season in the G League with the Birmingham Squadron. He averaged 17.3 points, eight rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 blocks on 62.1% shooting from the field in 10 games.

The 6-foot-10 forward played six years across Europe before joining the Squadron, most recently with Cedevita Olimpija in Slovenia. He averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.1 steals on 63% shooting from the field in 34 games.

Matković, who previously played with the Pelicans in summer league twice, is averaging nine points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and 1.5 steals in two games with the team in Las Vegas. He registered 10 points and five assists on Sunday.

The 23-year-old is highly touted for his ability on both ends of the court. He has great mobility at his size and can run the floor well on offense and protect the paint on defense. He has also shown improvement with his shot and is emerging as a floor spacer.

Matković has also represented Croatia in several international events, most recently in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers. He averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650261140]