The New Orleans Pelicans and veteran Wing Herb Jones have agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension. Jones now trades totaling five years, $97 million, and has received player options in 2029-30.
Herb Jones to enter NBA season 5
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Jones will receive $20.9 million in 2027-28, a 140% allowable increase in his last year of his current contract as a veteran.
Jones turned 27 on October 27 and joined Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson as the only player for at least 2027-28 each. At the University of Alabama’s 2021 NBA Draft, the Pelicans selected Jones, who was 6-foot-8 inches and 210 pounds overall.
In New Orleans’ 240 professional NBA regular season games (231 games), Jones averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.2 minutes of games per game while shooting 47.7%, 36.6% from three-pointers and 82.4% from the free throw line.
Jones tore his right shoulder sleeve last season
Jones was limited to 20 games last season because of a torn lip bone in the back of his right shoulder. He averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 32.4 minutes per game, while the floor shot 43.6% from the field and Deep shot 30.5% from the field.
The Pelicans announced in February that Jones will miss the remainder of the season after repairing a torn rotator cuff surgery. David Griffin, then executive vice president of New Orleans, also noted that Jones “seeks additional advice.”
In April, after New Orleans completed a disappointing 2024-25 season with a record of 21-61, the Pelicans fired Griffin, the first playoff defeat since 2022-23.
Pelicans start 47 different squads due to injury
The trio of Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson never played together due to injuries. There are only three players on the roster – CJ McCollum, Yves Missi and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl – who competed in over 60 games.
More importantly, Williamson and McCollum’s main injury caused the Pelicans to sell on deadlines, including the Ingram trade against the Toronto Raptors.
Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado were also eliminated at some point. The injury caused New Orleans to start 47 different squads and win the fewest games since 2011-12 years.
Last month, the Pelicans traded McCorlum, Kelly Olynyk and the No. 40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Washington traded Olynyk to the San Antonio Mast on Tuesday for Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and the 2026 second-round draft pick (the most unfavorable picks in Dallas, Philadelphia and Oklahoma), according to Charania as an example.
