Big Q recap the news topics listed below on today’s stream. The New Orleans Pelicans declined a team option on Herb Jones’ contract, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday, but the team is hopeful of bringing him back on a longer deal.
Jones becomes a restricted free agent with early Bird rights, so New Orleans could still have him back in the fold. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the maximum contract the Pelicans could extend Jones is a four-year deal worth $53.3 million.
Sources also told ESPN that the Pelicans declined a $2.6 million team option on center Willy Hernangomez and declined to extend a qualifying offer worth $7.7 million to center Jaxson Hayes.
New Orleans also pushed back a guarantee deadline on the contract of Garrett Temple, a source told ESPN. The 37-year-old Temple, a native of nearby Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is set to make $5.4 million next season and originally had a guarantee date of Thursday. The Pelicans and Temple agreed to push that date back to July 7.
The Pelicans will pick up Naji Marshall’s $1.9 million team option for the 2023-24 season, a source tells @TheAthletic
Another item to keep in mind for New Orleans, the Pelicans are looking into trades for Kira Lewis Jr., sources said, that could provide the point guard with options for greater playing time elsewhere.
