d-league

Jim Eichenhofer

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has recalled rookie forward Cheick Diallo from the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA Development League.

In his most recent assignment, Diallo appeared in three games for Greensboro, averaging 22.3 points on .490 shooting from the floor, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 33.7 minutes per contest. Diallo, 6-9, 220, has appeared in 26 D-League games this season with Austin, Long Island and Greensboro, posting averages of 15.0 points on .502 shooting from the floor, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 27.9 minutes per contest.

Originally selected by the L.A. Clippers with the 33rd overall pick out of the University of Kansas in the 2016 NBA Draft, Diallo has appeared in 11 regular season games for New Orleans, averaging 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per contest.

Diallo will re-join the team today in Denver and be available for the Pelicans’ matchup tonight against the Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. 

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Pelicans recall Cheick Diallo from Greensboro of D-League

As simple as it sounds, New Orleans rookie second-round pick Cheick Diallo needs experience playing the game of basketball as much as any new pro. The 20-year-old was sparingly used during his one college season with the Kansas Jayhawks, meaning he has scant game repetitions against high-level competition. That makes his current assignment to Austin of the D-League an ideal opportunity - the power forward has started each of his four games and is logging 26.5 minutes a night. Diallo has averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocks for Austin (3-1).

“An important element of his development is just playing,” Pelicans GM Dell Demps said of the 33rd overall draft pick. “The D-League is a situation that’s exactly made for a player like him, a 20-year-old. We wanted him to get better and he’s in a situation where he can develop all aspects of his game. So far we’re thrilled with his progress.”

Coincidentally, Diallo faced recently signed Pelicans guard Anthony Brown in a D-League game Saturday. Diallo was excellent, totaling 21 points, seven rebounds and a block (playing for Erie, Brown netted 25 points, then signed with New Orleans on Monday).

“He’s a high-energy guy with an incredible motor, so he always plays hard,” Demps said of Diallo’s play in the D-League. “He’s been a good rebounder, a good shot-blocker as well, and he finds a way to score. He has good touch around the basket. We want him to go from a good rebounder to a great rebounder. We want him to go from a good defender to an elite defender. Those are some of the things he’s getting an opportunity to do there.”

“I think that’s the best thing for him,” Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry said of Diallo’s D-League assignment. “He didn’t get to play very much at all in his year at Kansas, so this is a situation where he can go and get minutes against professional players (and get experience with) the speed of the game and the size and strength of the game. He realizes that he’s going to have to get stronger. But just the experience of playing down there is what he really needed, and we’ll continue to do that with him.”

Other notes from pregame Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center:

Anthony Davis (knee contusion last night at Atlanta) and Terrence Jones (illness, but played through it and had 17 points against the Hawks) both are ready to play tonight vs. Minnesota on ESPN. Asked whether Gentry needs to talk to Davis about scaling back some of the hustle plays that have led to Davis crashing into the stands, Gentry said you can’t curtail a player’s hustle and energy. “That’s just who he is, he’s going to play hard,” the coach said of the three-time All-Star. “One of the things you can’t talk about is, ‘Don’t make this play, don’t make that play,’ because those are the times you end up getting hurt. I love the fact that he plays with that kind of aggressiveness and that he thinks that possession is so important that you’ve got to try to go all-out.”

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Pelicans rookie Cheick Diallo averaging 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds in D-League

Pelicans.com

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed guard Bryce Dejean-Jones. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Dejean-Jones, 6-6, 203, has appeared in 11 games (eight starts) for the Pelicans, averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game.

Prior to joining New Orleans, Dejean-Jones played for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League, appearing in nine games (seven starts), averaging 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals in 31.1 minutes per game.

Undrafted out of Iowa State, Dejean Jones was a member of the Pelicans’ 2015 Las Vegas Summer League team and training camp roster. In six summer league contests, Dejean-Jones averaged 12.8 points on .619 shooting from the field, including .500 from three point range, to go along with 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game. Appearing in all seven preseason contests for New Orleans, Dejean-Jones averaged 8.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

In a related move, New Orleans has waived forward Jarnell Stokes. Stokes, 6-9, 255, was acquired from the Miami HEAT, along with cash considerations, yesterday in exchange for a future second round draft pick. Stokes has appeared in 26 career NBA games with Miami and Memphis, holding career averages of 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.5 minutes per game.

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Pelicans Sign Bryce Dejean-Jones

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Pelicans Summer League Postgame - Khem Birch 7-18-15

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NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has assigned rookie point guard Russ Smith to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League. This will be Smith’s third assignment of the season.

In his most recent assignment, Smith, 6-0, 185, appeared in four games for Fort Wayne, averaging 17.5 points, and 7.8 assists. Overall, Smith has appeared in six games with Fort Wayne, averaging 16.5 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

Smith has appeared in six games for New Orleans, averaging 0.8 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Smith appeared in six preseason contests for the Pelicans, averaging 5.0 points, 1.2 assists and 0.8 rebounds.

Drafted out of the University of Louisville by Philadelphia with the 47th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, Smith was acquired by New Orleans in a draft night trade.

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Pelicans Assign Russ Smith to Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Vice president of digital media for New Orleans Pelicans.

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has recalled rookie point guard Russ Smith from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.

In his recent assignment, the second of the season, Smith, 6-0, 185, appeared in four games for Fort Wayne, averaging 17.5 points, and 7.8 assists. Overall, Smith has appeared in six games with Fort Wayne, averaging 16.5 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

Smith has appeared in three games for New Orleans, averaging 0.3 rebounds per game. Smith appeared in six preseason contests for the Pelicans, averaging 5.0 points, 1.2 assists and 0.8 rebounds.

Smith will be in New Orleans and available for tonight’s home game against Portland.

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Pelicans Recall Russ Smith From Fort Wayne Mad Ants

NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has assigned rookie point guard Russ Smith to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.

Smith, 6-0, 185, has appeared in two games for Fort Wayne, averaging 14.5 points and 3.0 steals in 25.5 minutes per game.

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Pelicans pregame: Russ Smith 12/9/14

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d‑league

Pelicans recall Cheick Diallo from Greensboro of D-League

Pelicans rookie Cheick Diallo averaging 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds in D-League

Pelicans Sign Bryce Dejean-Jones

Pelicans Summer League Postgame - Khem Birch 7-18-15

Pelicans Assign Russ Smith to Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Pelicans Recall Russ Smith From Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Pelicans Assign Russ Smith to Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Pelicans pregame: Russ Smith 12/9/14