New Orleans Pelicans

North Carolina State star Dereon Seabron is reportedly heading to the NBA on a two-way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The Norfolk, Virginia, native returned to school after playing sparingly during his freshman season. The move paid off, as he was named Most Improved Player in the ACC and was a second-team All-Conference selection in 2021-22.

However, he wasn't selected during Thursday's NBA draft and will attempt to make the league through this route.

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Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Dereon Seabron

Position: PF/SG

Height: 6'5"

Pro Comparison: Josh Jackson

Scouting Report: Scouts see a second-round option in Seabron, who offers a unique mix of 6'5" size and ball-handling skills to drive and play-make. A jumper would unlock another level of upside.

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Pelicans Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Dereon Seabron, PF/SG: (two-way deal)

Dyson Daniels, PG/SG: (rookie scale contract)

E.J. Liddell, PF: (rookie scale contract)

Karlo Matkovic, PF: (rookie scale contract)

C.J. McCollum, SG: $33.3M (2024)

Brandon Ingram, SF: $31.7M (2025)

Jonas Valanciunas, C: $15.1M (2024)

Devonte' Graham, PG: $11.8M (2025)

Larry Nance Jr., PF: $11.2M (2023)

Zion Williamson, PF: $11.1M (2023)

Jaxson Hayes, C: $5.5M (2023)

Garrett Temple, SG: $5.2M (2024)

Kira Lewis Jr., PG: $4.3M (2024)

Trey Murphy III, SG: $3.7M (2025)

Willy Hernangomez, C: $2.4M (2024)

Herbert Jones, SF: $1.8M (2024)

Jose Alvarado, PG: $1.7M (2025)

Naji Marshall, SF: $1.1M (2024)

Free Agents

Tony Snell, SG: UFA

Jared Harper, PG: RFA

Gary Clark, PF: UFA

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A 6'5" combo guard, Seabron committed to N.C. State in January 2019. He wasn't an elite recruit, with 247Sports' composite rankings listing him as a 3-star prospect and No. 129 overall player in the 2022 class.

He played well as a freshman when he got in games. He averaged 5.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 17 minutes per game in 32 appearances during the 2020-21 season.

Head coach Kevin Keatts significantly increased Seabron's role as a sophomore. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game with a 49.1 field-goal percentage in 32 starts.

Wasserman noted in February that the player's limited shooting ability was preventing his draft buzz from taking off, but his "ability to score downhill, play-make off the dribble and initiate transition offense" made him an intriguing pro prospect.

Seabron shot just 25.4 percent from three on 63 attempts in two college seasons. It's the one significant weak area in his game. He can handle the ball, score at the basket, plays physical on both ends and can rebound.

If the Pelicans' coaching staff can help Seabron find even an adequate jump shot, he's got the potential to be one of the biggest steals in this class.

After back-to-back All-Big Ten first-team selections, Ohio State star E.J. Liddell will begin his NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans selected Liddell with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday.

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Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: E.J. Liddell

Position: PF

Height: 6'6"

Pro Comparison: P.J. Washington

Scouting Report: Liddell became a more believable NBA prospect by improving his shooting and defense. His game still doesn't scream upside, but there should be a role for a physical forward who can create from the post, stretch the floor and block shots around the key.

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Pelicans Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

E.J. Liddell (rookie scale contract)

Dyson Daniels, PG/SG (rookie scale contract)

C.J. McCollum, SG: $33.3M (2024)

Brandon Ingram, SF: $31.7M (2025)

Jonas Valanciunas, C: $15.1M (2024)

Devonte' Graham, PG: $11.8M (2025)

Larry Nance Jr., PF: $11.2M (2023)

Zion Williamson, PF: $11.1M (2023)

Jaxson Hayes, C: $5.5M (2023)

Garrett Temple, SG: $5.2M (2024)

Kira Lewis Jr., PG: $4.3M (2024)

Trey Murphy III, SG: $3.7M (2025)

Willy Hernangomez, C: $2.4M (2024)

Herbert Jones, SF: $1.8M (2024)

Jose Alvarado, PG: $1.7M (2025)

Naji Marshall, SF: $1.1M (2024)

Free Agents

Tony Snell, SG: UFA

Jared Harper, PG: RFA

Gary Clark, PF: UFA

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Liddell originally put his name in for the 2021 draft but elected not to hire an agent to maintain his college eligibility. The 21-year-old chose to return to Ohio State for his junior season.

Things worked out well for Liddell and the Buckeyes. He led the team in scoring average (19.4 points per game) and rebounds (7.9) and ranked second in assists (2.5). His success rate on three-pointers jumped from 33.8 percent on 2.8 attempts in 2020-21 to 37.4 percent on 3.8 attempts in 2021-22.

The Buckeyes made the NCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed in the South Region. They defeated Loyola University Chicago in the round of 64 before falling to Villanova in the second round.

Liddell's size and improved scoring ability make him an intriguing NBA prospect, especially at this stage of the draft. He has the ability to be an impactful three-and-D player on a playoff team at his best.

The Pelicans will take advantage of Liddell's unique skill set in their quest to make a postseason push in 2022-23.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes has been sentenced to 450 hours of community service, 52 weeks of domestic-violence classes and three years of probation stemming from a July 2021 arrest in Los Angeles.

Per the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office (h/t mynewsla.com), Hayes pleaded no contest last February to "one misdemeanor count each of false imprisonment and resisting an officer."

The City Attorney’s Office also stated that Hayes, 22, has received credit for a day served in jail. He must also pay an undetermined amount in restitution and will be subject to a protective order.

Hayes also faced 10 other misdemeanor counts, but they were dismissed. ESPN's Andrew Lopez ran down the charges last January:

Hayes was charged with 12 misdemeanor counts in total, including three counts of inflicting corporal injury to a spouse, two counts of domestic battery, one count of battery against an officer, one count of false imprisonment, three counts of vandalism, one count of aggravated trespassing and one count of resisting arrest.

Lopez also relayed LAPD reports on what led to the arrest:

Hayes was arrested in the early morning hours of July 28, 2021, after Los Angeles police officers were called to the house of his then-girlfriend.

At the time, the LAPD said Hayes met officers in the front yard of the residence. When officers informed Hayes they needed to speak with someone inside the residence, he tried to prevent them from entering, police said.

Video released from the incident shows police officers using a Taser on Hayes to subdue him during the struggle.

Hayes was treated at a hospital for injuries he suffered during the confrontation with police before being booked into jail.

The Atlanta Hawks selected Hayes, who has played three NBA seasons, with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft but traded the ex-Texas star to the Pels 17 days later.

He's been in New Orleans ever since and played 70 games (28 starts) for the Pelicans last year.

Zion Williamson insisted Saturday that he wants to remain with the New Orleans Pelicans.

According to ESPN's Andrew Lopez, Williamson said the following while speaking at a YMCA youth and basketball camp registration in New Orleans: "I do want to be here. That's no secret. I feel like I've stood on that when I spoke. Currently, this does not really have anything to do with that. This is just me wanting to be a pillar in my community."

Williamson, who missed the entire 2021-22 season because of a foot injury, could be in line for a huge contract extension this summer, as he can become a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign.

Lopez noted that Williamson may receive a five-year, $186 million max rookie extension offer, although it is possible the Pelicans would stop short of making it fully guaranteed due to Zion's injury history.

In addition to missing all 82 regular-season games and the Pels' first-round playoff series this season, Williamson was limited to 24 games as a rookie. He did play in 61 of the Pelicans' 72 games last season, however.

When healthy, Williamson is a force, as evidenced by the 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game he averaged in 2020-21 en route to an All-Star selection.

Even without the 2019 No. 1 overall pick, the Pelicans reached the playoffs this season, which has Williamson and others around the team excited about the future.

Last month, Williamson was cleared to return to action without limitations after a lengthy rehab process, meaning he should be good to go for the start of the 2022-23 season.

While there has been some speculation about Williamson not being fully committed to the Pelicans over the past year, he erased those doubts in April when he said he would sign an extension with the Pelicans and "couldn't sign it fast enough."

The Pelicans have an exciting core in place aside from Williamson in Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the latter of whom was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers before this season's deadline.

Williamson hasn't had a chance to play alongside McCollum, but the outside shooting ability of McCollum and Ingram should pair well with Zion's interior presence.

There are some obvious risks that would come with signing Williamson to an extension, but the potential rewards would likely be worth it given what he has shown he can do.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram will miss between six and eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his right fifth finger, the team announced Friday.

Brandon Ingram Update:

Ingram recently underwent successful surgery on his right fifth finger to address a flexion contracture. The surgery was performed on June 7, by Dr. Steven Shin at the Kerlan-Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles. Recovery timetable is approximately 6-8 weeks pic.twitter.com/sHoy4rJTNV

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) June 10, 2022

The timeline suggests Ingram should heal in time for training camp as the Pelicans look to build on a promising 2021-22 campaign.

Appearing in 55 games this season, Ingram proved to be the Pelicans' offensive fulcrum, averaging 22.7 points, 5.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor.

Assuming Ingram is at full strength when the 2022-23 season gets underway, he should anchor one of the Western Conference's most intriguing young cores with CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson beside him.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green had some trash talk reserved for New Orleans Pelicans guard and ESPN analyst CJ McCollum after the Dubs' 116-100 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports set the scene, reporting that McCollum was outside the Warriors locker room in Boston's TD Garden. Green stopped when he saw McCollum, and the two chatted it up.

McCollum then notified Green of his NBA Finals choice.

"I’ve got to tell you this," McCollum said. "I picked Boston to win Game 3, I picked you guys to win Game 4. But ultimately, I’ve got the Celtics winning the Finals. I just want you to hear it from me first before you hear me say it on TV."

Green fired back: "That’s fine. Those Celtics will still be ringless just like you. Respect." He then walked away with a smirk on his face.

"Damn, that was a good-ass comeback,” McCollum said after. "But, hey, he heard it from me."

McCollum hasn't won an NBA title, but he's done well in by making the playoffs in each of his nine seasons, averaging 19.2 points per game along the way.

He's also part of a Pels team on the rise that made the playoffs this past year despite missing superstar Zion Williamson because of a broken right foot.

As for Green, Wednesday was a rough night for the four-time All-Star. He had just two points, four rebounds and three assists before fouling out.

But the three-time NBA champion and the rest of the Warriors are still very much alive in this best-of-seven series and will grab home-court advantage back with a road win in Game 4, which will take place Friday in Boston. The series shifts back to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday.

Following recent comments from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver that the league would consider shortening its regular season, the president of the National Basketball Players Association outlined a scenario in which he would consider voting in favor of reducing the current 82-game schedule.

Appearing on ESPN's First Take (starts at 3:15 mark), CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans said he wouldn't vote for a 58-game schedule, but he would be open to 72 games "if it made sense" for the majority of players.

Silver has spoken about wanting to implement an in-season tournament for several years. It remains to be seen if it will happen, though ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Christmas Day there was "renewed momentum" for the event.

According to Wojnarowski, the NBA and NBPA discussed elements of the tournament that could become part of the league calendar as soon as the 2022-23 or 2023-24 season.

The format would begin with pool play, followed by the teams with the best records advancing to an eight-team single-elimination tournament that would be finished before Christmas.

The proposal would also reduce the schedule from 82 to 78 games. McCollum did mention a 58-game season, though there's no indication from anyone in the NBA offices that has been considered.

It was floated by Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey during an appearance on Colin Cowherd's radio show in February.

Morey said, explaining how the season would work:

"Every team plays every team two times. The playoffs—I 100 percent agree. Shorter is better. I would have it one-and-done. There’s a reason everyone tunes into every game at huge ratings in the NFL. It is literally one-and-done. And the NCAA tournament, in 63 games [it’s actually 67], gets more money than we do in our entire regular season."

The idea of shortening the regular season is to reduce the risk of injuries and, potentially, limit the number of games that superstar players sit out for load management.

Of course, any change to the schedule would impact league revenues. If the league is making less money with a shorter regular season, the salary cap goes down and player salaries decrease.

Players would have to factor that into their decision-making process if there were any vote from the union on cutting the regular season from 82 games.

McCollum admitting he would be open to a change if it made sense for the NBPA is interesting, but there are a lot of factors that would have to be considered before any vote happens.

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum is entering the broadcast booth for the 2022 NBA Finals. 

McCollum agreed to a deal to join ESPN as an NBA analyst, ESPN announced Monday (h/t the Associated Press). He will make his debut on ESPN2's alternate broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

The deal comes as little surprise considering McCollum, who received a journalism degree from Lehigh University, has made appearances on ESPN in the past. 

"I am excited to bring what I feel is my unique perspective, based on my vast knowledge of the game that I've gained during my nine years as a player in the NBA," McCollum said in a statement. "To have an opportunity to put my journalism background to use on the largest stage with the many talented professionals at ESPN is a dream come true."

In addition to working the NBA Finals, McCollum will be starting a podcast with ESPN, work as an analyst during NBA Summer League and make appearances on studio shows.

He joins a number of players that make broadcast appearances during the season, including Warriors veteran Draymond Green, who signed a deal with Turner Sports in January to appear on Inside the NBA and other company content. 

The Portland Trail Blazers selected McCollum 10th in the 2013 NBA draft, and he spent eight-plus seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Pelicans during the 2021-22 season.

In 26 games with the Pelicans, he averaged 24.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals. His efforts helped New Orleans reach the playoffs, though the Pelicans were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round. 

Zion Williamson is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but the New Orleans Pelicans might not offer a fully guaranteed deal for the oft-injured forward.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the latest Friday:

From what I have been told, the Pelicans, at this point, are not willing to offer a full five-year guaranteed deal. And a lot of it is flowing down from ownership. Gayle Benson, the owner, is also the owner of the New Orleans Saints. And I have been told they're gonna take a football-style, Saints-style mentality with this contract negotiation. They will offer him a huge contract but will not guarantee all of it.

A max contract for Williamson could be worth at least $180 million over five years, but Windhorst projected closer to $100 million in guaranteed money. It could be structured similarly to the deal Joel Embiid signed with the Philadelphia 76ers early in 2017, which included triggers for games played to guarantee the money.

Williamson has played just 85 games in his first three NBA seasons, missing all of 2021-22 because of a foot injury.

The Pelicans announced Thursday that Zion is cleared to return without any restrictions, setting him up to play at full strength in 2022-23.

The 21-year-old has impressed when on the court, earning an All-Star selection in his only full season. He averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds across 61 games in 2020-21, shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

Williamson led the team with 8.7 win shares that season, per Basketball Reference, living up to the hype as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.

The upside is clearly enough for the Pelicans to offer an extension when first eligible this summer. Williamson also indicated he would sign a deal if offered.

"Of course, I couldn't sign it fast enough," Williamson said in April.

The question is whether injuries will prevent him from reaching his potential, a concern that could affect his next contract.

While few NFL contracts are fully guaranteed, it is much more common for top players in the NBA. Williamson and his camp might have to agree to the major concession for the two sides to come to an agreement.      

The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to offer Zion Williamson a rookie contract extension in the range of five years and $186 million.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news on Friday during NBA Countdown before the Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat playoff game.

He’s eligible for his rookie contract extension. The expectation around the league is that a healthy Zion Williamson now—beyond that foot injury—coming off a second season where he was an All-Star, put up some historic offensive numbers—that Zion Williamson is going to land in that range of that max contract of 5 years, $186 million.

Williamson, 21, has averaged 25.7 points on 60.4 percent shooting, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists during his two years on NBA courts.

The former Duke standout, who made the All-Star team in his second NBA season, missed all of last year with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

However, the Pels released some encouraging news on his status this week:

Update on Zion:

Recent imaging of Williamson’s right fifth metatarsal showed continued improvement.

Williamson has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions. pic.twitter.com/xZAtf9lyVn

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) May 26, 2022

There's no question Williamson would sign the extension based on comments made in late April.

Zion Williamson on potentially signing an extension in New Orleans:

"Of course. I couldn't sign it fast enough."

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) April 29, 2022

Offering Williamson the deal is an easy move to make assuming he's healthy.

The table is set for the Pelicans to be a perennial playoff contender with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram and a host of young role players who were integral to the team's late-season run (e.g. Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy).

That core made the playoffs without Williamson and pushed the top-seeded Phoenix Suns to six games. With Williamson in the mix, the sky could be the limit for this group.

For now, all signs point to a healthy Williamson returning and sticking around for the foreseeable future to lead a team with a tremendous amount of upside.