ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are sending Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick, and a future second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.
The main reason for this trade is pretty simple: New Orleans needed to clear salary before officially adding Bennedict Mathurin on his two-year, $16.0 million deal. Because the Pelicans are using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign him, they can't finish above the first apron afterward, so they had to open enough room under that line first. Memphis is basically getting paid to help the Pelicans clean up the payroll, and I think the Grizzlies did very well here.
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, future second-round pick, future second-round pick (swap)
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: AJ Johnson, Taj Gibson
Hawkins is making $7.0 million this season, and Peavy is at $2.2 million, so New Orleans moves roughly $9.2 million in salary. Johnson costs only $3.2 million, while Gibson's $3.8 million salary isn't guaranteed yet, so he's gone from $0 to $200K in the trade, as the Pelicans are likely to waive him. Mathurin's first-year salary will be about $7.8 million on the two-year deal he agreed to last month.

#pelicans #orleans #round

Some NBA relationships are built around basketball. Dejounte Murray's bond with Gregg Popovich clearly went much deeper, and years after leaving the San Antonio Spurs, Murray is still opening up about the coach who cared about his life before his career.
That meant stepping into problems most young players would struggle to handle alone. For Murray, Popovich became someone he could trust during some of the toughest moments of his life. That relationship still carries plenty of weight today.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray
Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
On August 29, Murray's emotional account of Popovich's influence revealed just how personal their relationship became during his early NBA years. Murray said the Spurs legend was more than a coach and described him as a father figure who genuinely wanted him to succeed in life first and basketball second.
"He was like a father figure. There's, there's – it's so many stories. And if he was able to come sit here and talk, he'd tell you he's never had a player come in his office that cried on his shoulder from how many murders he had to deal with back home in Seattle. How many funerals I had to pay for.

#many #coach

With Jonathan ****** inga, a player the Los Angeles Lakers had been pursuing all summer, off the board and heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers are almost out of options as far as two-way wings or forwards.
However, there is one intriguing two-way wing who is still available in free agency: Bruce Brown. Brown, an eight-year NBA veteran, remains unsigned after a strong year with the Denver Nuggets.
During a recent livestream for Bleacher Report, NBA insider Jake Fischer said that Brown is a possibility for Los Angeles.
"I think he's in the mix for the Lakers, a team that has had some interest in him for several years now," Fischer said.
Last season, Brown averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 ****** ists in 24.4 minutes a game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range. He returned to the Nuggets after spending the previous two years with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans.

#angeles #year #years #kuminga

Today in Boston Celtics history, Jerryd Bayless was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988. He played his NCAA basketball for the Arizona Wildcats for a single season before entering the 2008 NBA Draft, where the Indiana Pacers selected him with the 11th overall pick.
The Phoenix native never suited up for the Pacers, dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers soon after the draft was over. He also played for the (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans), Toronto Raptors, and Memphis Grizzlies before the latter ball club sent Bayless to Boston in a trade that netted the Celtics 3-and-D wing Courtney Lee. Bayless played just one season for the Celtics, suiting up for a total of 41 games and starting 14 of them.
He averaged 10.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.1 ***** ists while with the Celtics, leaving in free agency next summer to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.
It is also the birthday of Sihugo Green, born in New York City in 1933. An alum of Duquesne, Green was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1956 NBA Draft, taken by the (then) Rochester Royals (now, Sacramento Kings). The New Yorker played for the Royals after their move to Cincinnati, the St. Louis Hawks before they relocated to Atlanta, and the defunct Chicago Packers, Zephyrs, and the also-defunct Baltimore Bullets before joining the Celtics via trade in 1965. The last stop of his career, Green averaged 3.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game as a Celtic, retiring afterward.
Finally, it is also the birthday of Quinn Buckner, born today in 1954 in Phoenix, Illinois. Buckner played college ball with the Indiana Hoosiers, where he won an NCAA championship, and was drafted seventh overall in the 1976 NBA Draft by the Bucks. He was dealt to the Celtics in 1982, and won a ***** le in his second of three seasons with Boston. The Indiana alum averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.8 ***** ists, traded to the Indiana Pacers in 1983.

#played #draft

Michael Scotto: The New Orleans Pelicans have waived two-way center Hunter ******* inson, league sources told hoopshype. The former Michigan and Kansas star averaged 17.6 points on 59% shooting from the field and 39% from 3-point range with 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 ******* ists in the G League last season.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Pelicans waive Hunter ******* inson

#orleans #michigan #hoops

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dalton Knecht don't appear to be a good fit.
The Tennessee alum showed flashes of an NBA-level sharpshooter in his rookie season, but fizzled out of the rotation in his sophomore year, spending most of his time either in the G League or warming the bench. That was despite Lakers head coach JJ Redick hyping him up as a key piece of their future on several occasions.
With 16 players on the roster, the Lakers need to trim the fat entering the new season. One intriguing Lakers trade idea won't cut down the roster size, but would add a piece that could really help Redick's team fill a void at the wing position.
Lakers would receive: Saddiq Bey
Pelicans would receive: Dalton Knecht

#Lakers #dalton #piece #angeles

Before Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the point guard was well on his way to becoming a household name. Sure, Haliburton had been well-known to basketball fans for years at that point, but an NBA championship ring would've pushed him into another realm of stardom.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be after Haliburton went down midway through the first quarter of Game 7, with the Oklahoma City Thunder cruising to victory in his absence.
Haliburton's injury coming at the latest possible moment of the season meant he would miss the Pacers' entire 2025-26 campaign rehabbing. Hali would raise his national profile a bit by contributing to Prime Video's NBA Nightcap throughout the season, but the Pacers guard was largely out of sight and out of mind as the team finished 19-63, the worst record in franchise history.
But with Haliburton poised to make his return this upcoming season, and the Pacers looking to right the ship, Indiana would seem to be an intriguing team headed into 2026-27. Alas, the NBA schedule makers didn't find them intriguing enough to put the team in a national television window for Haliburton's return. The Pacers will open the season against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 21 and it will not be nationally televised.
That news didn't sit well with Haliburton, who shared his feelings on a recent episode of the Numbers on the Board podcast.

#Pacers #haliburton #point

The NBA released its schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup. The league's annual in-season tournament will begin on Friday, Oct. 30.
The tournament is divided into six groups of five teams each. Each team will play four group-stage games.
The knockout games begin on Friday, Dec. 4. The championship will be played Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The ******* le game moved to Hinkle from Las Vegas for the first time.
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025 NBA Cup championship game — in what also was a preview of that season's NBA Finals.
East Group A: Pistons | Raptors | Magic | Bucks | Nets
East Group B: Knicks | Cavaliers | 76ers | Heat | Pacers
East Group C: Celtics | Hawks | Hornets | Bulls | Wizards
West Group A: Nuggets | Rockets | Suns | Mavericks | Jazz
West Group B: Thunder | Timberwolves | Clippers | Pelicans | Grizzlies
West Group C: Spurs | Lakers | Trail Blazers | Warriors | Kings

#east #knicks #SPURS

The 2026-27 NBA Cup group play schedule was announced Wednesday.
The OKC Thunder will compete in the Western Conference's Group B alongside the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans. It'll face each team once in November with hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.
OKC will begin group play with road games against Memphis on Nov. 6 and Los Angeles on Nov. 13. It'll then host New Orleans on Nov. 20 and Minnesota on Nov. 25.
The top team from each of the six groups and one wild-card team from each conference will advance to the knockout rounds, which have a single-elimination format. The quarterfinals (Dec. 4-5) and semifinals (Dec. 8-9) will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.
The championship game will then be played at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 11. It'll mark the first time the game hasn't been played in Las Vegas.

#team #memphis #play

On the Eve of the full 2026-27 regular season drop, the league announced its 2026 NBA Cup group play schedule. The Oklahoma City Thunder are part of West Group B this year. Considering the rest of the field, they'll enter as favorites to win it.
The other four West Group B teams are the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans. All five teams will play each other once throughout November. After that, the group winner will advance to the eight-team knockout tournament.
The NBA Cup is entering its fourth year. The league is divided into six groups of five teams. Three apiece in the West and East. Following the group stage, the six group winners punch their ticket to the eight-team tournament. The other two teams will be one wildcard team from each conference.
The NBA Cup quarterfinals will be on Dec. 4-5. The semifinals will be on Dec 8-9. The 2026 NBA Cup finals will be on Dec. 11. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be hosted at the higher seed's home gym. Meanwhile, the finals have shifted from Las Vegas to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
As a reminder, the NBA Cup winner receives financial bonuses. The deeper you get into the tournament, the more money each player on the roster receives. Every game — minus the NBA Cup finals — also counts toward the regular-season standings.

#group #league

The 2023 Texas A&M baseball signing class was loaded with star power, but amid the headliners, one player quietly developed into one of the SEC's most dangerous hitters, and he's already making noise in the minor leagues.
Caden Sorrell never lacked talent, but sharing a class with Gavin Grahovac and joining a roster that already featured Jace LaViolette meant he initially flew under the radar. That changed quickly. Sorrell worked his way into the starting lineup as a freshman and earned Freshman All‑SEC honors. His sophomore season was derailed by injuries, limiting him to just 26 games, but his response in 2026 was emphatic.
Sorrell delivered a breakout campaign, slashing .341/.434/.743 with 77 hits, 23 home runs, and 67 RBI. By the end of his three‑year career, he ranked top‑five in program history with 46 home runs and totaled 158 hits, 151 RBI, and a 1.094 OPS. Numbers that made his selection at No. 62 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs feel inevitable.
Now, just three games into his professional career with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Sorrell looks exactly like the hitter Aggies fans watched mature in College Station. Through his first few games, he's slashing .364/.417/1.053, a small sample size but an early sign that his power and approach translate cleanly to pro ball.
And like his former Aggie teammates, it didn't take long for him to notch his first major milestone.

#sorrell #power

The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston **** istant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.
To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.
With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today's article, we will continue with the 10th of 14 who wore the No. 25, guard Austin Rivers. After ending his college career at Duke, Rivers was picked up with the 10th overall selection of the 2012 NBA Draft by the (then) New Orleans Hornets (now, Pelicans).
The Santa Monica, California native played the first 3 seasons of his pro career with New Orleans. He also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and Washington Wizards before he signed with the Houston Rockets in 2019. His stay with the team lasted until he was traded to the New York Knicks.

#wore #rivers #orleans

Draymond Green's contract allows Warriors to trade for Trey Murphy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The problem for the Golden State Warriors is that they simply don't have enough ******* ets to really make that all-in trade. Not that the Warriors don't have some first-round picks they can move on from, but there's a limited amount of talent on their roster right now to suggest that they can really put themselves in a good position to make a trade for one of the best players in the NBA.
That's an unfortunate part that the Warriors are currently dealing with, though there's one situation that's being viewed as a potential option with Draymond Green. After Green got his new contract, and with the Warriors having three tradable first-round picks, it's possible they could be looking at somebody like Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans.
"Now, it is a longshot that the Warriors would trade Green this season, though they do have three tradeable first-round picks that they could package, and Green's contract is hefty enough that it could bring back a star-caliber player (Trey Murphy of the Pelicans comes to mind).
"But, as a player, Green does not have as much value to other teams as he does to the Warriors, where he has teamed with Curry and coach Steve Kerr for 12 years," Sean Deveney wrote.

#contract

Kevon Looney, a veteran the Los Angeles Lakers signed this summer, will play a key role for them this coming season. He will likely be their primary backup center behind Walker Kessler, and the team will be counting on him to put in lots of work on the boards, play aggressive defense, set picks and do other types of dirty work.
After a frustrating 2025-26 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Looney was a free agent this summer, and there were other teams he could've chosen this summer. But he said during an appearance on the "Mason & Ireland Show" on ESPN LA radio that the Lakers were his top choice.
"Being a free agent this year, I didn't know what was going to happen. Lots of moving parts to this offseason with a lot of teams. Once the Lakers made a few moves and they had a need for a center, this was my top destination and I was able to make it happen and I'm super excited."
Looney, who played one season at the University of California, Los Angeles, also said during a recent interview with Mark Medina of Fadeaway World that he couldn't turn down the opportunity to play for the Lakers, especially since he has friends and family in the area.
His offensive numbers dropped last season, but he still produced on the boards. The 30-year-old has a career average of 5.7 rebounds in 17.1 minutes a game, and he won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors, which means he can provide some invaluable experience to a Lakers team that has gotten significantly younger.

#play #angeles #lots #team

Lionel Hollins explains how LeBron James made Anthony Davis a better player on the Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Now that LeBron James has left the Los Angeles Lakers, it marks the end of an era for the Purple and Gold. Of course, it's not too bad for them because they have another superstar to build around with Luka Doncic. However, there was a time when they did not have that megastar.
When James signed with the Lakers in 2018, he inherited a young team. However, they made a splash when they traded for Anthony Davis, a player who was toiling away on the New Orleans Pelicans at the time. That move sealed the deal for the Lakers, giving them a superstar duo.
When he was with the Pelicans, Davis was clearly one of the league's most gifted players. He was physically imposing with his height and length, but he also paired that with unreal talent. Davis could defend at the highest possible level in basketball, but he could also serve as the go-to option on offense.
That made him enticing for almost every team in the league. However, it was the Lakers that got him in a trade that had a significant package centered on Brandon Ingram at the time. It was a worthy gamble for the Lakers because it ended up with the team winning the 2020 championship.

#team #lebron #anthony

As the Chicago Bulls approach the fall with an open roster spot, they've been linked to LA Clippers restricted free agent guard Bennedict Mathurin. The Bulls' reported interest in Mathurin, though, has been overstated, according to a league source who was granted anonymity to describe ongoing deliberations.
New York Times
Marc Stein: The Pelicans and Bulls remain engaged suitors for Clippers RFA Bennedict Mathurin, says one source close to the process. The source adds: "Dallas has not expressed interest at a serious level" thus far. MikeAScotto reported today that Milwaukee has joined the Mathurin chase. — 7/31/2026 x.com
While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype. With that said, there's work to be done by each team if they're going to add Mathurin. — 7/31/2026 HoopsHype

#dallas

Marc Stein: The Pelicans and Bulls remain engaged suitors for Clippers RFA Bennedict Mathurin, says one source close to the process. The source adds: "Dallas has not expressed interest at a serious level" thus far. MikeAScotto reported today that Milwaukee has joined the Mathurin chase.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Pelicans, Bulls remain engaged suitors for free agent Bennedict Mathurin

#suitors

Kevon Looney has a chance to become an underrated but key addition to the Los Angeles Lakers' roster. The No. 30 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, he spent his first 10 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where he won three championships and made a living as an undersized but high-motor center who gobbled up boards, played effective defense, set screens and did the dirty work.
He just completed a bit of a down year with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he played in just 21 games and saw his shooting percentage plunge. Lakers fans feel he won't be an adequate backup center, especially if starter Walker Kessler suffers an injury, but if Looney is still spry, he could surprise some people.
During a recent appearance on the "Mason & Ireland Show) on ESPN 710 AM L.A. radio, Looney talked about how difficult it is to play against new teammate Luka Doncic and how he's looking forward to learning how to make things easier on the superstar.
"Playing against him sucks, especially being a big man," Looney said on Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA Radio. "You're in a lot of pick-and-rolls, you're getting iso'd, he picks on people and you gotta guard him 1-on-1 and he's probably the toughest guy to guard 1-on-1 in the league. Got to compete against him on the Lakers and in the playoffs when he was in Dallas.
"I'm excited to be on his team, be able to learn from him, be able to play pick-and-roll with him. He's probably the best pick-and-roll player in the league so being able to learn how he wants me to set screens and different things like that I'm excited about it. He's one of the best guys in the league and it makes my life a lot easier playing with him so I'm super excited."

#excited #able #ireland

Marc Stein: Jaron Pierre Jr. and the Pelicans have agreed to a two-way contract, his Skyward Sports representatives Derek Lafayette and Curtis Lawrence tell TheSteinLine. The New Orleans native and former SMUBasketball star was drafted No. 58 overall in June.
x.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Jaron Pierre Jr. and the Pelicans have agreed to a …

#stein #sports

Trey Murphy? League sources say the Pelicans have resisted all trade offers so far and hope to compete next season.
Yahoo! Sports
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: League sources say the Pelicans have resisted all …

#sources

A group of former Tigers have wrapped up their summer in Sin City.
Five players who finished their college careers with Missouri basketball saw playing time in the NBA Summer League, which ran July 9-19 in Las Vegas. The event is an opportunity for players to compete for free agent deals for the upcoming season.
Mark Mitchell played for the Denver Nuggets after signing an Exhibit 10 deal, Tamar Bates is on a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, Sean East II was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jevon Porter featured for the Memphis Grizzlies and Caleb Grill played for the Boston Celtics.
Ex-Tigers Trevon Brazile and John Tonje, who each spent a season in Columbia in their college careers, played for the Nuggets and Celtics, respectively.
Former Mizzou center Shawn Phillips Jr. initially signed a Summer League contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, but he did not appear in any games after he was named in an eligibility injunction filed in Ohio against the NCAA. Porter is part of a similar lawsuit in California.

#played #celtics #former #college

Jacob Crews is the latest Missouri basketball alum to earn a professional opportunity this summer, as the wing signed to play for Donar Groningen in the Netherlands on Tuesday, according to a news release from the team.
Two Tigers from the 2025-26 team are now set to play overseas, as guard Jayden Stone signed a deal with the Sydney Kings earlier this summer.
Mizzou had multiple players participating in the NBA Summer League in July. Mark Mitchell signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Denver Nuggets, Tamar Bates signed a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz and Caleb Grill (Celtics), Sean East II (Cavaliers) and Jevon Porter (Grizzlies) all appeared in Summer League games.
Former MU center Shawn Phillips Jr. briefly had a Summer League deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, but, like Porter, he is involved in litigation against the NCAA's age-based eligibility rule change and appears to be seeking an avenue back into college athletics.
Crews spent six seasons in college, including the past two years at Mizzou. He appeared in 66 total games for the Tigers, averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and a 43.5% mark from 3-point range last season.

#signed #mizzou #mark

Sources with knowledge of New Orleans’ thinking say that the Pelicans re-signed DeAndre Jordan to a two-year deal rather than a mere one-year minimum contract because they were convinced that Jordan had one-year interest elsewhere that he was prepared to accept and did not want to lose the 37-year-old's locker room influence.
marcstein.substack.com
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Pelicans re-signed DeAndre Jordan to a two-year deal …

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially added a veteran presence to their frontcourt, signing Kevon Looney on Monday.
Looney, 30, joins the Lakers after spending the 2025-26 season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He brings 11 seasons of NBA experience, along with the championship pedigree of a player who helped the Golden State Warriors win three NBA ****** les.
Throughout his career, Looney has built a reputation as a reliable rebounder, defender and ball screener, which will work well with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
In 620 career regular-season games with the Warriors and Pelicans, he has averaged 4.9 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 57.0% from the field.
The 6-foot-9 big man has been especially effective on the offensive glass. During the 2022-23 season, Looney led the NBA with 274 offensive rebounds and averaged a career-high 9.3 rebounds per game in 82 contests.

The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly re-signed veteran big man DeAndre Jordan to a two-year, guaranteed $7.9 million deal. Jordan returns for two more years after spending this past season with the team.
Right after the deal was announced, an NBA ******* yst questioned the decision, which cost the Pelicans $3 million more.
The Pelicans' decision to give the former All-Star center a two-year guaranteed deal was met with sharp criticism from Austin Robert, who tweeted:
"I was informed by someone in the league that the NBA prorate of vet min. Deals only applies to 1-year deals. So the Pelicans will be paying the entire $7.9M. 'His comment was, 'I don't think they understood the rule,' referring to Joe Dumars.'"
Robert continued: "All they had to do was sign DJ to two separate 1-year deals. This is an entirely unforced error. I'm pretty baffled how this happened."

The Charlotte Hornets suffered their first 2026 NBA Summer League loss Saturday evening, falling to the New Orleans Pelicans after defeating the Orlando Magic in their opener. Turnovers were a main point of concern as the Hornets committed 22 as opposed to just seven from New Orleans.
Former first-round pick from UConn, Liam McNeeley, shouldered the scoring load again, scoring 17 points to go along with five rebounds, five ***** ists and two blocks. Ryan Kalkbrenner showed his shot-blocking prowess as well, registering four blocks in addition to six points, three rebounds and two ***** ists. Lastly, undrafted Illinois guard Kylan Boswell also impressed off the bench, registering eight points on 3-for-3 shooting to go along with seven ***** ists, four rebounds, one steal and zero turnovers in 15 minutes.
Following the 95-91 defeat, Charlotte will hope to get back in the win column Sunday against the Boston Celtics.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets can't limit turnovers, fall to New Orleans in NBA Summer League

LAS VEGAS – The Phoenix Suns shook off a horrid first half to begin 2026 NBA Summer League play and edged the Portland Trail Blazers, 81-79, July 10 at **** Pavilion.
The Suns shot a mere 21.1% in the first half, missing all 13 of their 3-point attempts and trailing, 38-24, at the break.
"That first half, I was messing with the coaching staff; I don't think I've seen a box score like that, but they got the jitters out," Suns Summer League coach Chaisson Allen said. "It's common. You come into this environment with all these people in the building, nerves.
"To get that out in the first half, and then to respond the way they did? Proud of the guys."
The Suns continue Summer League play Sunday, July 12, against the New Orleans Pelicans at noon at **** Pavilion.

"You're sitting next to Zion there, you guys are the veteran leaders now of this group. How do you feel like you can lead the two of you this Pelicans squad this year?" Dejounte Murray: "You got to lead by example. You got to be on time, you got to be the ultimate pro, put your work in day in, day out, take care of your body. Those unseen hours, when you're in your hotel room, when you're on the recovery table, you got to take care of yourself so we're available. The best ability is availability, and I understand that. Hopefully Zion understand that. He's doing really great, I think he feels the same way of just being healthy and being with whoever he's working with and just trying to be consistent and put the work in. We're going to need everybody, it's not about one, two, or three guys, you're going to need the whole organization."
YouTube
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Dejounte Murray: "You got to lead by example. You got …

One former UCLA Bruin is returning to Los Angeles, with center Kevon Looney agreeing to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the signing on Tuesday, with Looney joining the Lakers on a one-year deal.
The deal is reportedly worth $3.9 million, with the longtime Golden State Warriors center returning to the Pacific Division after one season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Looney could slide into the Lakers’ rotation as a backup center for the newly-acquired Walker Kessler.
Looney played in just 21 games last year with the Pelicans but could find himself in more game action with Los Angeles. Kessler, who the Lakers acquired to be the franchise center, played in just five games last season and has played in 70 games in just one of his four NBA seasons.
UCLA had Looney on their roster for the 2014-2015 season, where the 6’9” center played in 36 games, scoring 11.6 points and grabbing 9.2 rebounds per game. Looney plays a much different game now, with a hip injury suffered at UCLA severely impacting Looney’s lateral movement.
The injury hasn’t stopped Looney from being a strong NBA player. Looney was a key piece on multiple NBA champion teams with the Warriors. Looney began his NBA career on the Warriors’ 73-win team in 2016 and went onto win three NBA Finals alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Hunter ****** inson has signed a contract to return to the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-way contract. ****** inson spent his rookie season with the Pelicans on a two-way deal.
RealGM
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Hunter ****** inson has signed a contract to return to …