The New Orleans Pelicans are shaking up their roster, letting go of center Trey Jemison from his two-way contract. The news broke Thursday, as first reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Jemison’s NBA journey has been a rollercoaster. The 25-year-old big man has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2023, playing for three different teams and putting up modest numbers – about 5 points and 4 rebounds per game.
His best stretch came during his rookie year, when he showed real promise with the Wizards and Grizzlies. Standing at 6-foot-11, he averaged nearly 7 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting a solid 55% from the floor.
But things didn’t quite click in New Orleans.
In 16 games with the Pelicans this season, Jemison’s numbers dropped to just 2.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in limited playing time. His shooting took a hit too, especially at the free throw line where he made only 38% of his attempts.
It wasn’t for lack of enthusiasm though. Just a few months ago, Jemison couldn’t contain his excitement about joining the Pelicans.
“I love the team. I love the organization,” he gushed during an October appearance on the team’s podcast. “Everybody is great people, so I’m really excited.”
The Pelicans aren’t just making cuts – they’re bringing in fresh talent too. They’re reportedly signing Keion Brooks Jr. to fill the open two-way spot. Brooks, who went undrafted out of Washington in 2024, has been lighting it up in the G League with some impressive stats: 17.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and nearly 3 assists per game.
This move gives the Pelicans some interesting options. They’ve still got Brandon Boston Jr. and Jamal Cain on two-way deals, plus an open spot on their main roster. There’s buzz that Boston might earn himself a standard NBA contract after becoming a key player off the bench.
With these moves, the Pelicans now have their full complement of three two-way players, while keeping some flexibility with 14 players on standard contracts.
