Why Watch Summer League 2022?

Ethen Meyers • July 5, 2022

Pelicans Summer League 2022 Details

        The New Orleans Pelicans Summer League will consist of 5 total games starting July 9th, 2022 against Portland(ESPN2) and then continue July 11th (Atlanta/NBA TV), July 13th (Washington/NBA TV), and July 15th (Lakers/ESPN2). Every team will play a fifth game which will be determined by standings after the first 4 games, either you play for the championship or just play a 5th game for more experience. The roster will have some familiar faces as Jose "GTA" Alvarado will return along side Naji Marshall and Trey "Trigga" Murphy III and also feature all 3 rookies in Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, and Karlo Matković. The Pelicans are wrapping up training camp practices today and will make the trip to Vegas soon to kick off the Summer League 2022 season led by Pelicans Assistant Coach Jarron Collins. We somehow have good depth on a Summer League Roster, you can check it out below:


Guards: Jose Alvarado, Jared Harper, Dyson Daniels, Dereon Seabron, Daeqwon Plowden, Elijah Stewart, John Petty Jr.

Forwards: Naji Marshall, Trey Murphy III, John Butler, E.J. Liddell, Deividas SIrvydis.

Centers: Amadou Sow, Zach Hankins, Tyrique Jones, Karlo Matkovic



Jose Alvarado

        Jose is coming off an incredible showing in the FIBA cup showing he was not just a feel good story and can do it on any stage at any time. He averages 21PTs, 5.5AST, 5REB, 1.5STL, all while shooting 45% from the floor and 43% from the 3PT Line making some clutch shots to keep his national team Puerto Rico in the game and led them to the eventual win. I have seen people compare him to Darren Collison, CP3, Fred VanVleet but I will compare him to a personal favorite because of his attitude and desire to win in Allen Iverson. Quick hands, quicker feet, with the ability to consistently score over larger defenders using his body I can't wait to watch him show out and prove why he deserves the first minutes off the bench in the guard role.


The Rookies

        This is an obvious one, but still a huge reason to watch. Last year I wrote an article, "Is this the best Pelican Draft....ever?" and while I have no idea where Dyson and Liddell will wind up they both came with high praise for scouts, Pelicans staff, and are getting praise during the training camp leading into the 2022 Summer League so I am excited to see them go out and show us what they have on the court in Vegas. Dyson has apparently improved his jumpshot and has shown it off in predraft workouts and this training camp before Vegas. There has not much been said about Dyson, but we didn't think Herb would be a starter so maybe we are in for another pleasant surprise. While he is certainly a draft and stash, Matković will hopefully get some decent minutes at either the 4 or the 5 and show us why he deserves to stay on this side of the pond.


The Hustle, The Playstyle, The Fun

        Anyone who watched a Pelican game last season, especially in the playoffs, saw that this team is a lot of fun to watch. The backcourt pressure by Jose. The smiling Brandon Ingram on the grill handing out plates. The revitalized CJ McCollum with the silky smooth midrange. The Jonas Valančiūnas  hair gel that doesn't quit. The relentless Herb Jones on defense finding his offensive game at his own pace. The team celebrating together, the culture shifting. That was all what Pelicans fan saw night after night. This team wants to have fun, and it shows when they are on and off the court. I hope with some of the returning faces being the main perpetrators of fun in Naji and Jose with the Trigga Man himself the new guys can see this is a team that enjoys playing together, but most of all wants to do it the right way by playing hardnose defense and giving every ounce of hustle they have.


Finally, Some Basketball.

        It feels like the season ended so long ago despite the Pelicans taking Phoenix to 6 games and the Pelicans games ending just over 2 months ago with the NBA Finals even less than that. This is by far the most excited I have been for the Summer League to start since Zion was selected first overall in 2019. The new coaching staff, the front office shakeups, and the recent wins we have had in the Draft make not only this Summer League exciting, but the entire season coming something to look forward to. All games will be played on ESPN networks or NBA TV, but you can also catch them on a stream via the ESPN app.


A quick share helps us a lot!

Tight End Room Outlook: Revamped and Ready To Roll

By Kaden Arkeder • July 4, 2026
The tight end room has some fresh blood and they look poised to be more impactful heading into next season. With the new arrivals of Noah Fant and third round draft pick Oscar Delp the offense will have the ability to play more in multiple tight end sets to create mismatches for the defense. Multiple tight end sets should allow the Saints to improve the run game and conversely the play action game. Playing in tight end heavy sets was something they were unable to do more of last year due to injuries and lack of talent at the tight end position. Mainstay and the only returning starting caliber player is Juwan Johnson. Johnson had a good year last year as one of the few reliable targets in the passing game aside from Chris Olave. Johnson is looking to build on a solid year where he had 77 receptions for 889 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. He was a security blanket when Rattler was starting and had quite a few big plays when Shough took over as the starting quarterback. With Shough coming into the season as the presumed starter I expect their connection to be even better next season. Someone hoping to have a better connection with a new QB is Noah Fant. Fant was a first round pick back in 2019 with the Broncos but has never quite lived up to his draft status. Fant will be playing on his third team in three years as he seeks to be a quality rotational piece in the offense and find stability for his career here in New Orleans. Fant should be utilized more in the passing game than in the running game but should be able to hold his own when called upon to do his part on run downs. Fant has been on a statistical decline since his time with Denver as his best receiving season came in at 68/670/4 back in 2021. Although his stats have been declining Fant still has plenty to offer with his athleticism and should produce more given a better opportunity. After Fant in the depth chart should be Oscar Delp who could be the x-factor of the tight end room after being selected in the third round of the draft this year. Delp brings a versatile option to the offense as he can lineup in various spots and handle the rigors of blocking in the run game. Delp’s calling card in college was his elite athleticism which jumps off the screen when you watch his tape. He has the ability to turn a five yard catch into an explosive play with how quickly he can get to top speed. Delp is an adequate, willing blocker where like most new tight ends in the league has room to improve in the blocking area of his game. With his versatility and athleticism I believe Delp will play a pivotal role in the offense this upcoming season. With Delp presumed to round out the depth chart at tight end the remaining tight ends will be competing for spots on the practice squad or spots on another team. This group includes Cody Hardy, Treyton Welch, Moliki Matavao, and Zaire Mitchell-Paden. We’ve seen Welch and Matavao from last season fill in admirably after some injuries but are best served as bench options at this point in time in their development. This group of roster hopefuls should hopefully provide some good competition from one another as we progress through training camp and preseason here shortly. Overall this group has a lot more promise heading into this season as it did last year. By getting younger and more athletic the tight ends will play a more prominent role in Kellen Moore’s offense. Whether it’s Juwan building on last season or Fant having a bounce back year or Delp proving to be revelation, the team is going to have plenty of options to choose from to attack the defense. Exactly what this team needed after not having enough last season.

Even the Restless can sit still

By Garrison Giddens • June 24, 2026
Why Pelicans fans should be grateful for a boring day 1 of draft night. 
Show More