Overview
- Julian Reese signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, Sept. 24, moving from waived free agent to a rostered developmental player.
- Reese went undrafted in 2025, spent most of 2025–26 in the G League with Raptors 905, and averaged 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds across 13 late-season games on a two-way deal with the Washington Wizards.
- His late-season sample included a 18-point, 20-rebound game and a 26-point, 17-rebound game, making him Washington’s first rookie with a 20-rebound game since 1993 and highlighting his offensive-rebound instincts.
- The signing fills New Orleans’ open two-way slot and completes a 21-man offseason roster, with Reese set to shuttle between the Pelicans and the G League’s Laketown Squadron and remain available for up to 50 NBA games under two-way rules.
- Coaches and scouts view Reese as a high-effort rebounder with clear developmental limits—he is undersized for a traditional center, lacks a reliable 3-point shot and shows uneven defense—while the deal reunites him with former Maryland teammate Derik Queen and drew a public Instagram reaction from sister Angel Reese.