If there’s one thing the New Orleans Pelicans need with the way their roster is currently constructed, it's a two-way guard who can space the floor. Outside of Herb Jones, this team lacks an elite perimeter defender, and outside of Trey Murphy III, they lack a truly proven high-volume floor spacer. This is why NBA insider Jake Fischer’s recent comments regarding rookie-scale max extensions for several players is a massive win for the Pelicans.
On a recent episode of “NBA Insider Notebook,” Fischer reported that Ausar Thompson, Brandon Miller, Cason Wallace, and Keyonte George are all unlikely to get a max rookie-scale contract extension due to the second apron. For the Pelicans, the standout name of this bunch is Cason Wallace, as he could be the perfect piece for this team.
At this point, Oklahoma City doesn’t appear to be rushing to ink an extension with Wallace, and that could work in the Pelicans' favor. Although New Orleans has never been a free-agent destination, the current landscape of restricted free agency forces players to really go get their bag wherever that may be. For Wallace, the Pelicans could be that place next offseason.
Wallace checks every box New Orleans needs
This past season, Wallace averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 35.1% from three-point land. He also contributed 1.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. Because of the Thunder’s injuries in 2025-26, we saw Wallace play both on the ball as a creator and off the ball as a connective piece. In both roles, Wallace looked good and showed he can be an offensive chameleon who helps win games no matter what is asked of him.
With the Thunder already having to reshuffle their roster because of the second apron this offseason and Wallace due for a big payday next summer, it’s unclear what the future holds for him. While I’d assume Wallace, a player who plays with a winning mentality, would want to stay with the Thunder and compete for championships, he may not be able to.
No matter where the Pelicans go in 2026-27, whether they are competitive and winning games or forced to pivot toward a rebuild, Wallace could add value.
If they are trying to win games, Wallace is the type of pesky defender who racks up steals and deflections that Jamahl Mosley would love to have. If they are forced to focus on Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears in a pivot to a new direction centered on them, Wallace could be a perfect third young piece to grow with them. He’s the perfect combination of a win-now player with long-term upside at 23 years old that New Orleans needs to target.
The Pelicans have no bigger incentive to create financial flexibility next summer than the possibility of pursuing Cason Wallace. If the Thunder decide Wallace isn't worth the price of a big-time extension, or if they need to make another difficult financial decision, New Orleans should be ready to get involved.
Add us as a preferred source on Google