The New Orleans Pelicans have declined their 2021-22 team option for wing Didi Louzada. The Pelicans then issued Louzada a qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent.

Louzada was drafted in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft, and the Pelicans acquired his draft rights from the Atlanta Hawks in a draft-related trade. Louzada then stayed overseas with Sydney of the Australian NBL for two seasons.

The Brazilian wing joined New Orleans late in the 2020-21 season, after the NBL season completed. He signed a two-year deal, because that was all the Pelicans could offer at the time.

By declining Louzada's team option, New Orleans can now offer him a longer deal, and up his salary just slightly. With a very flexible summer that could see the Pelicans have over $30 million cap space, expect Louzada's situation to drag out a bit. New Orleans likely will re-sign him, but after they make their other roster decisions first.

Bryn Forbes is a free agent after a successful season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Forbes is one of the better three-point shooters in the NBA though he has defensive limitations on the other end of the floor. 

The Brooklyn Nets are believed to be the leading candidate to sign Forbes, according to sources that spoke with Bleacher Report.

The Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans will also pursue Forbes.

Forbes didn't play in the final three games of The Finals as Mike Budenholzer went with Jeff Teague instead.

The Chicago Bulls and Lonzo Ball have mutual interest on an offer sheet worth $80 million over four years.

With the New Orleans Pelicans extending an offer sheet to Ball, they would have the opportunity to match the offer sheet.

Ball is coming off his second season with the Pelicans and improved his perimeter shooting and his return to the team has been endorsed by both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. 

The Boston Celtics have also been mentioned as another team with interest in signing Ball.

The New Orleans Pelicans have extended the qualifying offer to both Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, making both players restricted free agents.

Ball is expected to receive interest from a number of teams at a competitive salary number. The Pelicans, meanwhile, are expected to pursue Kyle Lowry in free agency.

The Pelicans acquired both Ball and Hart as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.

The Phoenix Suns and Chris Paul are widely expected to agree upon a new contract worth at least $90 million over three years.

There was a period last week in which league personnel began to speculate that Paul could play elsewhere with the New Orleans Pelicans a possibility. New Orleans had interest in Paul before the 20-21 season and hired Willie Green as head coach this offseason. Paul and Green are known to maintain a close relationship.

The salary cap complications involved with Paul leaving the Suns always made the him leaving the team unlikely.

Paul helped lead the Suns to The Finals in his first season with the franchise.

Before eventually agreeing to a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the draft, the Memphis Grizzlies were in serious talks with the Sacramento Kings on a similar deal, according to Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective Podcast. 

The Grizzlies would have sent Jonas Valanciunas to the Kings for the No. 9 pick in the draft and Marvin Begley Jr.

Memphis instead traded up with the Pelicans at No. 10 while also taking back Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe. New Orleans acquired Valanciunas as part of the deal.

Sacramento used the No. 9 pick on Davion Mitchell. 

Lonzo Ball will be a restricted free agent this offseason with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Ball will receive interest from the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers.

Ball is expected to command a salary in the $21 million to $22 million per year range.

The Philadelphia 76ers have traded for the 53rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft from the New Orleans Pelicans. The Sixers will send cash to the Pelicans to complete the trade.

This pick was originally acquired by New Orleans from the Dallas Mavericks as part of the JJ Redick deal at the 2021 trade deadline.

The Pelicans were one of the most likely teams to make a trade, or multiple trades, involving second round picks at the draft. This selection was one of four second rounders that New Orleans had to start the day.

For the 76ers, this trade represents some future planning. Philadelphia has been rumored to be pursuing several veteran point guards in free agency. As the Sixers are well over the cap, any free agent addition would come via sign-and-trade. That would make Philadelphia subject to the hard cap. Having an additional pick gives the 76ers some less-expensive roster-filler for their bench.

Jaxson Hayes was arrested early Wednesday morning after an alleged violent altercation with police. 

Police were called to a house in the Los Angeles area for a domestic disturbance, which turned into a physical altercation between Hayes and police officers. Hayes was reportedly tased by police during the altercation. 

Hayes is expected to be booked for felony battery on a police officer while the initial alleged domestic incident is also being investigated. 

The Brooklyn Nets are interested in trading Landry Shamet this offseason with multiple teams interested.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans are each interested in Shamet. The Knicks previously had interest in trading for Shamet when they dealt Marcus Morris Sr. to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Nets acquired Shamet last offseason from the Clippers.