Final New Orleans Pelicans Roster Decisions Have Become Clear

The New Orleans Pelicans have now played three preseason games with one remaining on Friday. After that, they’ll have to have their roster down to 15 standard players and three two-way players.

The Pelicans have already begun to whittle down their roster, releasing Caleb Houstan and not replacing him like they did with Christian Koloko. Still, they have to cut two players.

While there technically could have been a competition at the bottom of the roster, the favorites at the start have remained just that. Trendon Watford and AJ Johnson feel very safe, while Kobe Bufkin and Jalon Moore are likely to be the next two players released.

Watford was never guaranteed a roster spot. Literally, his next contract guarantee doesn't kick in until Opening Night and it isn't fully guaranteed until the end of the calendar year. Still, though, it became clear immediately that he would be on this team.

The veteran brings a perfect presence off the bench for this roster. He's a bit of a do-it-all player with the size to be versatile on defense and enough acumen as a playmaker to handle the ball. Really, he can play 1 through 4 on this team, which is music to the coaching staff's ears, as they have a few different holes to fill.

Johnson feels more like a lock because of the fact that his contract is guaranteed. He has only appeared in one preseason game so far due to injury precaution, but the team does seem encouraged by what he could potentially offer them this season. If he could find a little bit of consistency from three, they would be over the moon.

This has little to do with the talent of either Bufkin or Moore, just the situation making it clear who the odd men out were.

Bufkin is a former first-round pick and had a great Summer with the team. He’s shit 42.9% from three in the preseason so far. In another world, he would be a great fit on this roster.

The reality, though, is that players like Johnson and Jordan Poole will already fill his role. This shouldn’t be the end of the road in the NBA for Bufkin, as he does have plenty to bring on offense.

Moore never really seemed like a candidate to make the Opening Night roster, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t want him. I’d expect him to join the Laketown Squadron in the G League this year.

He was undrafted back in 2025 after tearing his Achilles in pre-draft workouts. Seeing as though he finished his college career with Jeremiah Fears on the Oklahoma Sooners, this front office got a great look at him and liked what they saw.

The 23-year-old is another versatile defensive wing for this team to develop.