Pelicans Sign Jaron Pierre Jr. to Two-Way Contract

Overview

• The New Orleans Pelicans formally signed Jaron Pierre Jr. to a two-way contract on Thursday, making him eligible for up to 50 NBA games and assigning him to split time with the Laketown Squadron in the G League.
• Under the two-way terms Pierre will earn $678,882, roughly half of a rookie minimum, and can be called up for a maximum of 50 NBA appearances during the season.
• Pierre arrives after a multi-school college career that ended at SMU, where he averaged 17.6 points and shot 37% from three en route to All-ACC honorable mention recognition.
• He showed scoring upside in Summer League with about 10 points per game across three outings but struggled with efficiency, and scouts say he will likely need G League minutes to improve his defense and shot consistency.
• The signing preserves New Orleans’ roster flexibility for opening night and possible future moves, and Marc Stein first reported the deal before the team’s official announcement.