Pelicans reveal summer league roster as Jaron Pierre gets first look
New Orleans opens NBA Summer League play July 9 in Las Vegas
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The New Orleans Pelicans announced their 2026 NBA Summer League roster Monday, with 2026 draft pick Jaron Pierre Jr. among the players set to compete in Las Vegas.
The team will play in the NBA Summer League from July 9-19. Pelicans assistant coach God Shammgod will serve as the team’s summer league head coach.
Pierre, a guard out of SMU, was selected by New Orleans with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The roster also includes Hunter Dickinson, Josh Oduro and Micah Peavy, who each played for New Orleans during the 2025-26 season.
PELICANS HEADLINES
- Pelicans shut down Knicks push for Yves Missi after Mitchell Robinson leaves for Celtics
- Pelicans fans get first look at summer squad in Las Vegas
- Pelicans bringing center DeAndre Jordan back for 19th NBA season
- New Orleans native Jaron Pierre Jr. introduced as Pelicans draft pick
Notably absent from the roster are Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, two young Pelicans who were part of last year’s summer league group. Their absence could be an early sign New Orleans expects both players to take on larger roles this season instead of using summer league for additional reps.
The roster also has several local ties. Pierre and Solomon Washington are both New Orleans natives, with Washington having played at Carver High School before stops at Texas A&M and Maryland. Former McNeese standout Christian Shumate also returns for his second summer league appearance with the Pelicans.
| No. | Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Previous school/country | NBA exp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | Chris Bell | F | 6-7 | 195 | California | Rookie |
| 9 | Kobe Bufkin | G | 6-4 | 195 | Michigan | 3 |
| 40 | Melvin Council Jr. | G | 6-4 | 180 | Kansas | Rookie |
| 30 | Dominique Daniels Jr. | G | 5-10 | 180 | California Baptist | Rookie |
| 35 | Malik Dia | F/C | 6-9 | 250 | Mississippi | Rookie |
| 4 | Hunter Dickinson | C | 7-1 | 271 | Kansas | 1 |
| 31 | Nate Mensah | C | 6-9 | 230 | San Diego St. (Ghana) | 1 |
| 34 | Jalon Moore | F | 6-7 | 215 | Oklahoma | Rookie |
| 15 | Markquis Nowell | G | 5-7 | 160 | Kansas State | 1 |
| 13 | Josh Oduro | F/C | 6-9 | 240 | Providence | 1 |
| 20 | Johnny O’Neil | F | 6-10 | 220 | Santa Clara | Rookie |
| 14 | Micah Peavy | F | 6-7 | 225 | Georgetown | 1 |
| 10 | Jaron Pierre Jr. | G | 6-5 | 185 | SMU | Rookie |
| 12 | Jordan Riley | G | 6-5 | 210 | East Carolina | Rookie |
| 42 | Christian Shumate | F | 6-6 | 213 | McNeese | Rookie |
| 27 | Solomon Washington | F | 6-7 | 225 | Maryland | Rookie |
The Pelicans are scheduled to play four games between July 9 and July 15:
- July 9: Pelicans vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 2:30 p.m. CT
- July 11: Pelicans vs. Charlotte Hornets, 3 p.m. CT
- July 12: Pelicans vs. Phoenix Suns, 2 p.m. CT
- July 15: Pelicans vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4:30 p.m. CT
The date and opponent for the Pelicans’ fifth game will be determined by the results of the first four games.
Each Pelicans summer league game will be broadcast locally on the Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network.
The 2026 NBA Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams, with each team playing five games. All 76 games of the 11-day competition will air live on Prime Video or ESPN platforms.
After each team’s first four games, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at 5:30 p.m. CT and 7:30 p.m. CT on Prime Video.
The two semifinal winners will meet in the championship game Sunday, July 19, at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The four playoff teams and their seeds will be determined by winning percentage in each team’s first four games, along with tiebreaker criteria. The 26 teams that do not advance to the four-team playoff will play a fifth game July 17, July 18 or July 19.
Summer League is typically used to evaluate rookies, recent draft picks, two-way players and other young players competing for roster spots before training camp.
Tickets for the 2026 NBA Summer League are on sale now at NBAEvents.com.
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