The New Orleans Pelicans have had a crazy offseason up to this point. They acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks and signed veteran big man Daniel Theis this summer. On the flip side, they lost Jonas Valanciunas to the Washington Wizards and sent Larry Nance Jr. and Cody Zeller to the Hawks. Furthermore, talks of the team possibly trading former All-Star Brandon Ingram were prominent for much of the year. However, at this point, a trade to move on from Ingram seems less likely. After getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, the Pelicans upgraded their team and should return better than they were last season. Ultimately, the Pelicans are likely done with the bulk of their moves this summer. However, the team is still filling out their roster over a month and a half into the offseason.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Pelicans have signed wing Javonte Green to a one-year deal.
Free agent wing Javonte Green is finalizing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, per league sources. Strong addition for Pelicans’ depth as Green averaged 12.2 points in 25.6 minutes per night across nine games to close last season with the Bulls. pic.twitter.com/hDwjKw0YV2
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 20, 2024
Green spent parts of the last four seasons with the Chicago Bulls. Last season, the Virginia native appeared in nine games for the team, starting five of them. On the year, Green averaged 12.2 points per game on 60% shooting from the field. Additionally, he averaged 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Although this is a small sample size, these are all career bests for Green. The wing also spent the first season-and-a-half of his career with the Boston Celtics.
In signing with the Pelicans, Green will reunite with Theis, who he was teammates with in both Boston and Chicago.
New Orleans Pelicans Sign High-Flying Wing
Javonte Green Brings High Energy to New Orleans
Green is not likely to be a starter for the Pelicans. However, he can still provide a lot of value on the court. The most notable aspect of Green’s game is how energetic he is. Green is extremely athletic and uses this to his advantage on both sides of the ball. Additionally, he is a solid scorer with a decent jumpshot. The 31-year-old has been a fan favorite at every stop he has had in the NBA, and that trend should only continue in New Orleans.
After Green re-joined the Bulls last season, teammate DeMar DeRozan spoke about his impact on the team. Additionally, the new Sacramento Kings star called Green “one of a kind.”
“Plays like that ignite us,” DeMar DeRozan said. “He dunks like he’s 6-9. How fast he gets off the floor. How quick he is. How hard he dunks the ball. It’s incredible. He’s one of a kind, man. I’m glad to have him back.”
The Last Word on Javonte Green
Green is a solid role player who brings a lot onto the basketball court. He is a fun player to watch and should help the Pelicans’ bench unit immensely.
