Pelicans sign Summer League standout Karlo Matkovic to 3-year deal
The New Orleans Pelicans have continued to fill out their frontcourt depth with a name that might ring familiar.
The team announced Sunday that it had come to terms on a deal with center Karlo Matkovic, a player it selected with the No. 52 pick in the 2022 draft but had stashed overseas as he developed early in his career.
Matkovic showed well over 10 games with the Birmingham Squadron -- the Pelicans' G League affiliate -- a year ago, averaging 17.3 points, 8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 blocks in over 30 minutes per game. The Pelicans have also signed forward Jamal Cain to a two-way contract.
The deal for Matkovic is worth $4.9 million, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Matkovic had drawn attention already with some impressive two-way play for the New Orleans summer league roster. The 23-year-old who measured in at 6-11, 231 pounds scored 8 points and pulled down 8 rebounds in an opening loss to the Timberwolves, with the highlight moment coming on a chasedown block that he followed up by sprinting the floor for a putback dunk. He added another 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in a win over the Magic on Sunday.
The signing adds a bit of clarity to the Pelicans' plans at the center position, at least for now. The team signed veteran Daniel Theis earlier this offseason and drafted former Baylor center Yves Missi No. 21 overall in the recent draft. Speaking on the Summer League broadcast, David Griffin indicated that the team doesn't feel it needs to add another center, so they could opt for affordability and youth heading into next season, at least in the early goings.
The Pelicans still have time to make moves, the biggest of which could be centered around star Brandon Ingram. The forward is headed into the final year of his contract and is eligible to sign a $210 million extension, but there has not been any public traction toward getting that deal done. The Pelicans did make a splash with a trade for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, a move that sent a pair of first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell and Cody Zeller to Atlanta.

















