By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily
The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a one-year contract with Caleb Houstan, adding another young shooter to compete for the final opening on their regular-season roster.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported the agreement Monday. The complete financial terms and guarantee structure have not been announced. However, the deal has been described as a training-camp opportunity that will allow Houstan to compete for the Pelicans’ final roster spot.
Houstan is not a high-usage scorer or dynamic shot creator. He is a 6-foot-8 perimeter specialist whose clearest path to the roster will be knocking down open three-pointers and proving that he can survive defensively in coach Jamahl Mosley’s system.
That may sound like a narrow role, but shooting remains one of the most valuable commodities in the modern NBA.
Who Is Caleb Houstan?
Houstan is a 23-year-old Canadian wing who played one season at Michigan after emerging as a five-star prospect at Montverde Academy.
The Orlando Magic selected him with the No. 32 overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He spent his first three NBA seasons in Orlando, appearing in 168 regular-season games and making 23 starts.
Houstan joined the Atlanta Hawks before the 2025-26 season. Atlanta initially converted his contract into a two-way agreement before promoting him to a standard contract in February. The Hawks waived him in April to create a roster spot for center Tony Bradley.
According to the NBA’s official player profile, Houstan has appeared in 186 career games. He has averaged 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists while shooting 37.8% from three-point range.
| Category | Career information |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward/shooting guard |
| Height | 6-foot-8 |
| Weight | 205 pounds |
| Age | 23 |
| NBA Draft | No. 32 overall in 2022 |
| Career games | 186 |
| Career scoring | 3.9 points per game |
| Career three-point shooting | 37.8% |
| 2025-26 three-point shooting | 52.4% in 18 NBA games |
Shooting Is Houstan’s Calling Card
The reason New Orleans is taking this chance is easy to identify: Houstan can shoot the basketball.
His three-point percentage improved during each of his three seasons with Orlando. He went from 33.8% as a rookie to 37.3% during his second season before reaching 40% in 2024-25.
Houstan then converted 52.4% of his three-point attempts in 18 appearances with Atlanta. That percentage came on extremely limited volume, so it should not be treated as evidence that he has suddenly become one of the NBA’s best shooters. It does reinforce the skill that has kept him in the league.
Houstan has a fast, compact release and does not require many touches to remain involved. He understands how to remain available along the perimeter, relocate when a teammate penetrates and prepare his feet before the pass arrives.
At 6-foot-8, he can also get his shot away against longer closeouts that might bother a smaller guard.
That combination gives Houstan a chance to function alongside creators such as Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Those players can force defensive rotations before finding Houstan stationed beyond the arc.
Why Houstan Fits the Pelicans’ Offense
New offensive coordinator Bret Brielmaier is expected to build a system featuring movement, quick decisions and multiple playmakers. Houstan would not be responsible for initiating that offense. His job would be to preserve spacing around its primary creators.
When Williamson attacks the paint, defenders naturally collapse toward the rim. That creates kickout opportunities for shooters. The same principle applies when Murphy or Fears turns the corner in a pick-and-roll.
Houstan’s presence could discourage opposing defenders from abandoning the weak-side corner.
He would also provide inexpensive shooting depth behind the established members of the rotation. New Orleans does not need him to become a featured scorer. The Pelicans need him to convert open opportunities and avoid disrupting the offense when he does not receive the ball.
There is another notable connection. Houstan played his first three professional seasons under Mosley in Orlando. The Pelicans’ new coach already understands his strengths, limitations, personality and practice habits.
That familiarity likely played a role in New Orleans offering Houstan an opportunity.
The Limitations Are Clear
Houstan’s path to the roster is not guaranteed because his overall game remains limited.
He is not an explosive athlete or a consistent finisher at the basket. If a defender runs him off the three-point line, he does not possess a reliable collection of dribble moves or counters to create a quality shot.
Houstan also generates very little secondary production. His career averages of 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists illustrate how dependent his impact is on outside shooting.
Defensively, his size helps him match up with wings, but he does not have elite lateral quickness. Smaller guards can attack him in space, while stronger forwards may attempt to overpower him.
Mosley demands defensive effort, communication and accountability. Houstan must prove that he can execute those principles well enough for his shooting to remain on the floor.
If the jumper disappears for an extended period, he does not currently possess another bankable NBA skill capable of compensating for it.
Film Room: What Houstan Must Show
Houstan’s training-camp evaluation should center on four areas:
- Shooting consistency: He must convert open catch-and-shoot opportunities at a high rate.
- Defensive positioning: Houstan cannot afford missed rotations or unnecessary fouls.
- Closeout decisions: When chased away from the arc, he must make the next pass instead of forcing a difficult drive.
- Competitive versatility: He needs to rebound, defend multiple wing positions and contribute without requiring designed touches.
His G League production indicates that he can do more when given an expanded role. Houstan averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 30 starts for the College Park Skyhawks before Atlanta converted his contract, according to the Hawks’ announcement.
The question is whether those contributions can translate into a smaller and more specialized NBA assignment.
Big Q’s Take
This is a sensible, low-risk move for the Pelicans.
Houstan is only 23, already has 186 games of NBA experience and owns a career three-point percentage approaching 38%. He also has an existing relationship with Mosley, which should help him understand the expectations immediately.
New Orleans is not asking Houstan to rescue the roster or transform the offense. The team is giving a proven shooter an opportunity to win its final roster spot.
That is exactly how the back end of an NBA roster should be constructed. Find players with one clearly identifiable professional skill, place them in a competitive environment and see whether they can provide enough in the other areas to remain playable.
Houstan’s shooting gives him a legitimate chance. His defense, rebounding and decision-making will determine whether that chance becomes a regular-season job.
The Pelicans have added another interesting training-camp battle—and Houstan’s jumper could make it one worth watching.
Gee Bino is a senior writer and columnist for The Who Dat Daily, covering the New Orleans Saints, Pelicans, LSU athletics, and the Gulf South sports landscape. He specializes in roster construction, player development, salary cap strategy, and breaking news coverage.
