ESPN and TNT selected the New Orleans Pelicans for just 10 combined games this season, down from 20 in a 20-21 season that had the number of games reduced by 10.

Zion Williamson is entering his third NBA season and has yet to appear in a playoff game or All-Star Game.

Williamson will also be playing for his third coach in three seasons after the Pelicans parted ways with Stan Van Gundy and hired Willie Green as his replacement.

Williamson will be eligible for a contract extension in 2022.

Josh Hart signed a three-year, $38 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans but it is only guaranteed for Year 1 at $12 million. Hart was a restricted free agent and could have signed for the qualifying offer of $4.7 million.

In Year 2, Hart will be on a $12.96 million non-guarantee with a June 25th date for the Pelicans to pick it up.

In Year 3, Hart will also have a player option on his $12.96 million figure while it is non-guaranteed for the Pelicans. 

Jose Alvarado has signed a Two-Way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Alvarado averaged 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.1 minutes over five games in Summer League.

Alvarado averaged 15.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 37.1 minutes as a senior at Georgia Tech.

Josh Hart has agreed to a three-year, $38 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Hart was a restricted free agent this offseason.

Hart averaged 9.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.7 minutes over 47 games last season with the Pelicans. 

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed Herb Jones to a three-year deal. The third season of the deal is a team option.

Jones was the 35th overall pick in the draft out of Alabama.

During four Summer League games, Jones has averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game.

Lauri Markkanen remains in free agent with most teams lacking cap space and the Chicago Bulls seeking a first round pick for facilitating a sign-and-trade, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

The Bulls are also requiring Markkanen's new team to find a third trade partner to take on the outgoing salary needed to create space for his contract. The third team would seek draft pick compensation, which means any team interested in Markkanen must send a first to Chicago and likely another first or two second rounders elsewhere.

"Chicago is playing this masterfully from no other perspective than a contract management standpoint," said one team capologist. "It won't do any favors relationship-wise, but they're bleeding his market based on their tax situation, and nobody else can offer him any kind of money without them."

The Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics have all shown interest in Markkanen at deals worth around $15 million in average annual value. 

Markkanen may be forced into accepting a one-year qualifying offer that would pay him approximately $9 million and he could then become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Markkanen, however, is believed to not have interest in a return to Chicago on that structure. 

Daulton Hommes has agreed to a Two-Way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Hommes was the 2019 Division II Player of the Year and played in Italy last season.

The New Orleans Pelicans have interest in Lauri Markkanen and could acquire him via a sign-and-trade by using their $1 million trade exception.

Markkanen is a restricted free agent and he has expressed a preference to leave the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls, however, are seeking a first round pick in exchange for facilitating a deal involving Markkanen. 

The NBA is investigating potential tampering by the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat ahead of the opening of 2021 free agency. Both Chicago and Miami were reported to have reached agreement on sign-and-trade transactions just minutes after free agency opened.

Chicago is reportedly adding Lonzo Ball via sign-and-trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. This was one of the first agreements reported, almost immediately after free agency opened at 6:00 PM ET on August 2.

Miami has already announced the acquisition of Kyle Lowry via sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors. The Heat sent Goran Dragic and Precious Achuiwa to the Raptors in that deal. This deal, along with potential terms, was reported on over a day in advance of free agency opening.

Last offseason, the NBA barred the Milwaukee Bucks from adding Sacramento Kings restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic after it was found the teams illegally entered into an early agreement on a sign-and-trade. In addition, the Bucks were fined and had to forfeit a 2022 second round pick.

Under the NBA's bylaws, the league can impose of a fine of up to $10 million for tampering. They can also void contracts that are deemed to have been agreed to too early. And, as they did with the Bucks, the NBA can force a team to forfeit a draft pick.

Willy Hernangomez has agreed to a three-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Hernangomez averaged 7.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.0 minutes over 47 games last season with the Pelicans. 

Hernangomez turned 27 in May and has played in the NBA since 2016 when he joined the New York Knicks.