Sources: Pelicans decline Herb Jones option, hopeful of longer deal
Jones becomes a restricted free agent with early Bird rights, so New Orleans could still have him back in the fold.
Jones, 24, was a second-round draft pick of the Pelicans in 2021 and quickly found himself in the starting lineup because of his skills on the defensive end. Jones has started 135 of a possible 144 games for New Orleans over his first two seasons.
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He has averaged 9.7 points, but the defensive end is where he has stood out. Jones just missed making an all-defensive team his rookie season.
Jones shot 33.7% from 3-point range as a rookie and 33.5% last season but did see some improvement in his shot late after a rough start, going 44.4% on 2.3 attempts per game after the All-Star break.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the maximum contract the Pelicans could extend Jones is a four-year deal worth $53.3 million. The Athletic first reported New Orleans was going to decline the option on Jones.
Sources also told ESPN that the Pelicans declined a $2.6 million team option on center Willy Hernangomez and declined to extend a qualifying offer worth $7.7 million to center Jaxson Hayes.
Hernangomez spent three seasons in New Orleans primarily as a backup. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds last season in 38 games.
Hayes, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft, has seen his role fluctuate over the years with New Orleans. He has spent time as a center and power forward during his young career. He had his best stretch starting at the 4-spot alongside Jonas Valanciunas during the Pelicans’ playoff push in the 2021-22 season.
Hayes averaged 11.0 points and 5.7 rebounds over the final 24 games of that season. However, last season he settled back into a backup role at both positions, averaging 5.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 47 contests. Sources said the Pelicans could still look to bring Hayes back.
New Orleans also pushed back a guarantee deadline on the contract of Garrett Temple, a source told ESPN. The 37-year-old Temple, a native of nearby Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is set to make $5.4 million next season and originally had a guarantee date of Thursday. The Pelicans and Temple agreed to push that date back to July 7.