Thursday night, the Atlanta Hawks' season came to an end as they were blown out by the New York Knicks 140-89 in Game 6 of their round one series. While the excuses for the Hawks were minimal following their disastrous effort to force a Game 7, one thing that prevented them from ever having a real chance against the Knicks was not having Jock Landale. The Australian big man was acquired at the 2026 NBA trade deadline and played a huge part in the Hawks’ second-half turnaround.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, the 30-year-old is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and could have a rather large market. One team that must insert itself into the Landale sweepstakes is the New Orleans Pelicans.
Since the departure of Jonas Valanciunas in the 2024 offseason, the Pelicans have been desperately searching for a stable, consistent presence at the five. Sure, Yves Missi has had a strong first two seasons in the NBA and has a ton of potential. But the Pelicans are trying to compete for a spot in the postseason next season, and Missi isn't ready to be a full-time starter on a team with those aspirations. Landale, on the other hand, is at the point in his career where that challenge appears to be a clear next step.
Landale checks all the boxes
Last offseason, the Pelicans tried to make a splash by using their available cap space to sign three-time NBA Champion Kevon Looney. The idea was that Looney could be a solid rim protector, screen setter, and do the dirty work like rebounding. That experiment failed immensely as the mileage Looney put on his body during his 10 seasons in Golden State had clearly caught up to him. But despite the Looney signing not working, the need for a center with that skill set is still very much there—and Landale can provide it, with added floor-spacing upside.
This past season, Landale appeared in 68 games and saw his season cut short due to an ankle injury that also sidelined him for the playoffs. In 22.1 minutes per game, Landale averaged 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 stock (steal + block). But what was most impressive was how well he shot the ball from three, connecting on 38.3 percent of his triples on just over 2.5 attempts per game.
Between his time with the Grizzlies and Hawks this season, Landale was given more offensive freedom than ever before, and his three-point shooting was a direct result of that.
With Zion Williamson expected to be occupying half of the Pelicans frontcourt to start the 2026-27 season, Landale could be a great complement to him. At 6-foot-11, 250+ pounds, he gives the Pelicans some major size and someone who really knows how to use his size to his advantage when setting screens. While Landale isn't a high-profile defender, he is aware and coordinated enough to hold down the paint for New Orleans.
The Pelicans don't need much from the center spot, given the strong supporting cast this team already has. They need someone who can clean things up with good screens, control the glass, and protect the basket. Landale being able to space the floor is just an added plus. With a longstanding hole at center, the Pelicans should look at Jock Landale in free agency as someone worth giving a shot as New Orleans' full-time starter.
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