Pelicans Mini-Camp 2026 roster auditions at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

Pelicans Mini-Camp 2026: Final Roster Auditions Begin

by
The Who Dat Daily Staff
2026-08-10

By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily

The New Orleans Pelicans are not waiting until the official start of training camp to evaluate the final pieces of their 2026–27 roster.

According to multiple reports, the organization is holding private offseason workouts at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, Louisiana, during a reported August 8–13 evaluation window. These sessions give the Pelicans an extended look at young players competing for the final standard roster spot and an available two-way contract.

The workouts feature several intriguing candidates, including former first-round guard Kobe Bufkin, sharpshooting forward Caleb Houstan and South Korean wing Hyunjung Lee.

For a team beginning a new era under head coach Jamahl Mosley, this mini-camp represents more than a collection of informal summer workouts. It is an early opportunity to identify players who complement the Pelicans’ core, improve their perimeter shooting and embrace Mosley’s defensive expectations.

Pelicans Mini-Camp Creates an Early Roster Competition

The Pelicans currently have most of their standard roster positions committed. However, the final opening remains unsettled.

Houstan, Bufkin and center Christian Koloko hold non-guaranteed training-camp deals. Each player offers a different solution for New Orleans.

Houstan provides size and perimeter shooting.
Bufkin offers ball-handling, scoring and point-of-attack defense.
Koloko supplies length, rebounding and potential rim protection.
Lee could emerge as a candidate for the available two-way position.

The Pelicans must determine which skill set best completes the roster.

That decision could depend on how the front office evaluates the existing group. New Orleans has several young guards and wings, but the team still needs dependable shooting around Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and its other offensive creators.

The Pelicans made only 34.7% of their three-point attempts during the 2025–26 season. Therefore, improving the team’s spacing must remain one of the front office’s primary objectives.

Hyunjung Lee Receives an Extended Opportunity

The most intriguing new name connected to the workouts is Hyunjung Lee.

Lee is a 6-foot-7 South Korean wing known for his perimeter shooting. He reportedly declined an opportunity to participate in South Korea’s national-team evaluation games to pursue this NBA opportunity with New Orleans.

The 26-year-old most recently played for the San Antonio Spurs during the 2026 NBA Summer League. Lee averaged 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across five appearances, according to reports.

His best performance came against the Utah Jazz.

Lee scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds and made four three-pointers during San Antonio’s 94–82 victory. He provided immediate energy from the bench and demonstrated the shooting ability that makes him an interesting developmental target. NBA.com’s game report highlighted Lee’s impact as one of the decisive factors in the Spurs’ victory.

Lee has not established himself as an elite NBA athlete. However, his size, quick release and movement shooting could help him earn a developmental role.

New Orleans does not need another high-usage scorer. The Pelicans need players who can relocate without the ball, punish defensive rotations and create space for Williamson’s interior attacks.

Lee’s ability to perform those responsibilities makes him a logical two-way candidate.

Caleb Houstan Brings Size and Shooting

Caleb Houstan enters the competition with the most traditional three-and-D profile.

The 23-year-old forward stands 6-foot-8 and weighs approximately 205 pounds. The Orlando Magic selected him with the 32nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after one season at Michigan.

Houstan spent his first three NBA seasons in Orlando before joining the Atlanta Hawks organization. He averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30 G League games with the College Park Skyhawks during the 2025–26 season. Atlanta later converted his two-way deal into a standard contract before eventually waiving him.

Houstan appeared in 18 NBA games for the Hawks and converted 52.4% of his three-point attempts. That percentage came on a limited sample, so it should not create unrealistic expectations. Still, Houstan owns a career three-point percentage of approximately 38%, which reflects legitimate shooting ability.

The Pelicans signed Houstan to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. He will compete for the final standard roster position. NBC Sports confirmed that his deal is not guaranteed.

Houstan also has experience playing for Mosley in Orlando. That familiarity could help him understand the defensive positioning, communication and effort required in the new system.

His path to the roster is straightforward: defend multiple wing positions, make open threes and avoid disrupting the offense.

Kobe Bufkin Looks to Build on Summer League Breakout

Kobe Bufkin may possess the highest offensive upside among the players competing for the final roster spot.

The Atlanta Hawks selected Bufkin with the 15th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Injuries and inconsistent opportunities slowed the early portion of his NBA career, but he revived his stock during the 2026 Summer League.

Bufkin averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, three assists and two steals in three appearances for New Orleans. His best performance came against the Minnesota Timberwolves, when he scored 30 points and grabbed six rebounds while making five three-pointers.

That production earned Bufkin a training-camp contract with the Pelicans.

His performance also revealed several skills New Orleans needs.

Bufkin can create offense off the dribble. He can pressure opposing ball-handlers across the full court. Additionally, he can operate as either a lead guard or secondary creator.

However, his NBA shooting remains a concern.

Bufkin has converted approximately 35% of his field-goal attempts and 21% of his three-pointers during his limited NBA career. The Pelicans must decide whether his Summer League improvement represents genuine progress or a brief hot streak.

If Bufkin continues defending with energy and makes open shots during the offseason workouts, he could force the Pelicans into a difficult decision.

Christian Koloko Offers a Different Solution

While Houstan, Bufkin and Lee primarily address perimeter needs, Christian Koloko provides a potential answer inside.

Koloko stands 7-foot-1 and offers length around the basket. His shot-blocking and defensive mobility could help a Pelicans team that struggled to protect the rim consistently last season.

The center position already includes Yves Missi, Karlo Matković and other young options. Therefore, Koloko must demonstrate that his defense, rebounding and screening create something the existing group cannot consistently provide.

His presence also forces the Pelicans to consider a larger question.

Should the final roster spot address the team’s most obvious weakness—three-point shooting—or provide insurance at center?

The answer will shape the competition.

How These Players Fit Jamahl Mosley’s Vision

Mosley built his reputation in Orlando by developing a physical, connected defensive team.

His best players used size and versatility to pressure ball-handlers, contest shots and close passing lanes. New Orleans will require similar commitment from every player competing for a roster position.

Houstan’s familiarity with Mosley’s system gives him an advantage. Bufkin’s defensive pressure could also appeal to the coaching staff. Koloko provides length at the back of the defense, while Lee must prove that he can survive NBA defensive assignments.

Offensively, coordinator Bret Brielmaier will need enough shooting to prevent opponents from crowding the paint.

Williamson remains one of the league’s most difficult interior scorers when healthy. Murphy has developed into a high-level perimeter threat. However, the offense needs more players who force defenders to remain attached outside the arc.

That requirement strengthens the cases for Houstan and Lee.

Why the Pelicans’ Final Two Openings Matter

The 15th roster position and final two-way contract may not appear significant in August. However, NBA seasons rarely unfold exactly as planned.

Injuries create unexpected opportunities. Young players develop at different speeds. Rotations change after trades, poor performance or coaching adjustments.

A player who begins the season outside the primary rotation could eventually become essential.

The Pelicans experienced that reality repeatedly during recent seasons. Therefore, the front office cannot treat these final decisions as ceremonial transactions.

The selected players must offer usable skills, developmental upside and positional flexibility.

Big Q’s Take

The Pelicans should prioritize shooting without ignoring defense.

Houstan appears to have the clearest path toward the final standard roster position. His size, career shooting history and familiarity with Mosley give him a combination the other candidates cannot completely duplicate.

Bufkin may have the highest upside. His Summer League performance showed why Atlanta once viewed him as a first-round talent. If his shooting improvement continues, he could become a valuable reserve guard.

Koloko remains the most logical choice if the coaching staff believes the roster needs another defensive center.

Meanwhile, Lee represents an ideal two-way swing. His shooting gives him a bankable NBA skill, while the G League would provide time to strengthen his body, defense and ability to attack closeouts.

Nothing should be predetermined.

Let the competition decide.

What Comes Next?

The reported mini-camp runs through August 13. Afterward, the Pelicans will continue evaluating their roster before official training camp begins.

Houstan, Bufkin and Koloko will have additional opportunities during the preseason because their non-guaranteed deals place them directly in the competition for the final standard position.

Lee’s immediate future remains less certain. However, his presence in Metairie gives the Pelicans a closer look at one of the more interesting international shooters still pursuing an NBA opportunity.

These workouts may not attract the attention of a regular-season game, but they could determine who completes the Pelicans’ roster.

For New Orleans, the final decision should come down to three essential qualities:

Shooting, defensive commitment and fit.

Gee Bino is a senior writer and columnist for The Who Dat Daily, covering the New Orleans Saints, Pelicans, LSU athletics, boxing, and the Gulf South sports landscape. He specializes in roster construction, player development, salary cap strategy, and breaking news coverage.