The 2025 NBA Summer League hasn't necessarily gone as planned for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans suffered their fourth loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night, 95-81. However, the summer league isn't truly about wins and losses; it's more about evaluating talent.
The Pelicans took an interesting approach entering summer league, already using all three of their available two-way contract spots. This is very rare, as New Orleans didn't really have any open roster spots to hand out if someone performed well in Vegas.
That brings me to Hunter Dickinson, who is the prime example of why you wait to give two-way contracts out until after the summer league.
Since New Orleans signed the 24-year-old big man immediately following the 2025 NBA draft, I made it clear I wasn't a fan. Dickinson lacks the skills to be a solid defender at the NBA level, and we've seen that in the summer league.
He gets cooked every time a switch happens, as his foot speed is extremely slow, making it hard for him to stay in front of quicker players. Speaking of slow, he also doesn't move quickly enough for the NBA. Dickinson is often caught in the middle of the court when the opposing team is on a fast break, resulting in an uncovered basket.
Outside of being just a post-up big, there isn't much to his offensive game. He's a solid screener, but doesn't have enough skill to do much on that side of the ball. Dickinson was a fine college player, but at this point, he doesn't have the skills to fit into the modern NBA. All of this was obvious before the Pelicans even signed him, making the decision to give him a two-way contract a terrible one by Joe Dumars.
A wasted opportunity
When looking at how someone like Christian Shumate has performed for the Pelicans in summer league, it makes wasting a two-way spot on Dickinson even more painful. Shumate, a 6'5 "wing, who has been all hustle during his time in Vegas.
At 6'5", he's averaging 6.7 rebounds a game, 2 of which are coming on the offensive glass. On top of that incredible hustle on the glass, Shumate plays with extensity that can't be taught on the defensive end. The former McNeese State Cowboy is also an outstanding athlete who can bust out electric slams in the open floor.
On top of that, in all three of Shumate's appearances in the summer league, he has been top 3 in plus-minus for the Pelicans. Unfortunately, Shumate probably isn't promising enough for a guaranteed contract, but would have been a perfect fit on a two-year deal.
The decision to sign Hunter Dickinson to a two-way contract was an odd one at the time and remains strange. Especially when considering what someone like Christian Shumate has put on display during his time in summer league.