Rumors

Jake Fischer: For Malcolm Brogdon—I don’t think Milwaukee is still a landing spot for him, especially after they brought in Cole Anthony on a buyout from Memphis. But teams like: Sacramento New Orleans Minnesota Golden State ...still have plenty of interest in Brogdon.

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Social media has been going crazy over the trade you made to get the draft rights to Queen while trading a first-round pick. What would you say to the critics? (The Pelicans traded their 23rd pick in the 2025 NBA draft and an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to acquire the 13th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, using it to select Queen.) I don’t mind the criticism. People say they don’t mind. But I really don’t mind. When you’re running a franchise, you make a determination of what you think you need to start growing your franchise. The opportunity presented itself that we could get two lottery picks, and to do that, you’re going to have to give up something. We gave up what we thought it would take to get these two lottery picks and we did. Now, I really don’t mind the criticism, the second guessing. I’ve done this long enough to understand that it just comes with the business. It’s just the sports world we live in. But we’re building a team to play it out. I believe in my guys. We’ll see how it plays out.

Andscape

What attracted you to trade for guard Jordan Poole? Joe Dumars: If you look around the league now, it’s almost a requirement to have high-level guard play, dynamic guard play. Jordan has a skillset that matches the most dynamic guards in this league. We’ve also seen him be a part of a championship team and contribute at a high level. So, with his skillset, he’s a dynamic guard and I know we have proof that he’s helped teams win championships. I look at those things and say, ‘I want him here and I want to tap into all of what he’s experienced so far.’

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What kind of rapport have you built with Zion? How do you get the best of him? Dumars: The first thing I would say about Zion is he’s an incredibly good guy. He’s a really good person. He’s obviously immensely talented. He and I have had some incredible conversations. We are in constant contact with each other. I’ve talked to him about the responsibility of being great and the responsibility of being a leader, of being a captain, of being the best player, of being the face of a franchise. I’ve talked to him about how all of those things come with responsibility and how it’s time now at 25 years old to embrace those responsibilities.

Andscape

Dumars strongly stated that he loved his job as the NBA’s disciplinarian. In recent months, Dumars declined the vice president of basketball operations job with the Kings and Phoenix Suns, a source told Andscape. But returning to New Orleans and Louisiana as an NBA team executive was too much for Dumars to pass on.

Andscape

Looney, who signed a two-year free-agent contract with the New Orleans Pelicans last week, joined Marcus Thompson II on the "Warriors Plus/Minus" podcast and shared how he felt a bit slighted by some of Warriors coach Steve Kerr's rotation decisions, including the choice to play then-rookie Quinten Post over him, particularly in the playoffs. "I guess," Looney said when Thompson II asked him if Post was the final straw for him. "I wouldn't say it like that, but it was anybody but me it seemed like at this point. It wasn't no one moment. Even this year, probably the playoffs. We going up against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They're not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do. "It's like, 'All right, y'all don't trust me? I thought y'all trusted me.' They put me at the end in Game 7, it's like why'd we have to wait for that point?"

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While Looney felt some type of way about Kerr's decisions, he knows it's not personal. "I just know it's never personal with Steve," Looney said. "He's going to do whatever is best to try to win. It ain't just me. He's done this to everybody. I might've been the one it was happening to the most because I was here the longest. I know it's not personal. He just wants to win. "You can't be mad because the results showed that. It usually worked. You talk about sacrifice and win, he's going to really test that sacrifice part."

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Zion Williamson’s contract has been the topic of discussion since the details were made public. The Pelicans were afforded a number of protections over the duration of the deal, but Williamson retained the ability to guarantee his money through various avenues. Based on language in Williamson’s contract, if the Pelicans did not request waivers on or by July 15, 2025, 100% of the Base Compensation would be protected. League sources indicate Williamson’s salary will become fully guaranteed for the 2025-26 Season.

In the NO

As of today, the subsequent 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons are fully non-guaranteed. Williamson can earn back money through the following avenues. 20% if Player satisfies the Weigh-In Criteria during the 2025-26 Season; 40% if Player satisfies the 41 Games Played Criteria during the 2025-26 Season; 20% if Player satisfies the 51 Games Played Criteria during the 2025-26 Season; and 20% if Player satisfies the 61 Games Played Criteria during the 2025-26 Season:

In the NO

New Orleans Pelicans: Joe Dumars on Herb Jones: “Herb Jones exemplifies all the great qualities our team values with his toughness, competitiveness, and commitment to getting better every day. We could not be more excited to sign Herb to this contract extension and keep him in New Orleans for many years to come.”

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Kendrick Perkins: Mine was the trade that didn’t happen—late in my career. I’m playing for the Pelicans, and it probably cost me a championship, to be honest. Either way, it did. I was backing up Alexis [Ajinça], veteran presence in the locker room. This is when I developed relationships with Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, etc. We weren’t winning s*** at the time. Dell Demps—by the way, I don’t have a lot of people I hate. I despise him. I wish the worst for him in a basketball sense. I’m not afraid to say it. I’d tell him to his face. I can’t stand that m**********. He’s a liar. He’s lied to so many people. He’s a snake. I hate him.

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Kendrick Perkins: At the trade deadline, I get a text from Bron: “Hey, we about to come get you.” Matter of fact, I’m lying. Bron came to New Orleans. He tells me, “We’re about to come get you. We want you on the team, on the bench.” I’m like, “Cool.” Then KD texts me: “Hey Perk, we want you in OKC.” Both teams trying to trade for me. Cleveland offered a second-round pick. This is the year they won the title. Also the year OKC blew the 3–1 lead to Golden State. Dell Demps comes to me and says, “We’re not trading you, Perk. We want you here for our locker room. You’re going to retire a Pelican.” I said, “Okay. So you’re telling me…” He says, “Yeah. We want you here the next two years. Retire here. We’ve got a plan.” I’m like, “Oh, s***.” Two more years. Cool. At that point, I didn’t know where my career was going. Once you’re on vet minimum, you get stuck on vet minimum. So he turns down both teams. End of the season, he says, “I’mma knock these moves out and we’ll get you straight.”

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Kendrick Perkins: Then the Rockets reach out. Daryl Morey calls me: “Hey Perk, James [Harden] wants you on the bench. We got a vet minimum for you in Houston, your hometown.” I turned it down because I’d already given my word to Dell. Thought it was the right thing to do. Then they sign Nene. As soon as I turned it down, next thing I know—they sign Nene. Summer goes on. I’m watching other guys sign deals. I don’t hear from Dell Demps. I contact him in August: “Hey D, what we doing?” He calls me and says, “Yeah, after rethinking some things, we think it’s best to let the young guys roll and not bring you back.” I’m like, “What the f***?” I cussed his ass out on the phone. Hung up. Truth is—I had no more options. That year, I was out of the league. No job. You possibly cost me a championship. I turned down actual offers. The Rockets contacted me the first week of free agency: “We got a vet minimum for you. Stay in Houston.” Next year? Nothing. No job.

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Kendrick Perkins: I’m not blaming Dell Demps for the direction of my entire NBA career. But he played a huge f***ing part. He took one or two years off my career. I could’ve been on a bench clapping 1,500 times a season. Instead, he shortened my career—by being a snake and lying. I’ve told this story before. I’ll tell it again. I can’t stand him. He knows it. I saw him in Minnesota—he works in the front office there—and he couldn’t even look me in the eye.

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