On Wednesday, the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers completed a trade. The deal sent the 23rd overall pick in this year's NBA draft and the rights to Mojave King to the Pelicans in exchange for the Pacers' 2026 first-round pick, which the Pels previously acquired in the Brandon Ingram trade.
With all the rumors swirling about the Pelicans acquiring a second first-round pick to trade up in the draft, Mojave King has been left as an afterthought. The 23-year-old New Zealand wing still has untapped potential and could emerge as a hidden gem within the Pelicans system.
King was selected 47th overall in the 2023 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers before having his draft rights immediately traded to the Pacers. He was drafted coming out of the G League Ignite program, where he showed great defensive instincts and tools and flashed potential as a streaky but high-upside shooter.
After being drafted, he spent time with Indiana's Summer League team and their G League affiliate, the Mad Ants. He struggled to find consistent playing time for the Ants, appearing in just 15 games and averaging 8.9 minutes per game.
He then decided to return to his home country of New Zealand this past season, playing for the New Zealand Breakers in Australia's top basketball league. A calf injury would limit King to just 17 appearances where he averaged 9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.
After his time with the Breakers ended, King spent some time with two other clubs in 2025, Cangrejeros de Santurce, a team out of Puerto Rico. and also Tauranga Whai, a team in New Zealand's top basketball league who he is currently playing for.
What makes Mojave King so intriguing?
What’s most intriguing is how different King has looked since joining Whai. He is playing with more confidence than ever, and it shows in his stats. Over his five games with Whai, he is averaging 19.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
The potential that many draft experts saw from King is finally shining. He had an unreal debut for Whai where he dropped 29 points, shooting 3-for-8 from deep. This type of assertive performance is rare for King, who’s usually more passive and selective. But with his renewed confidence, he looks far more aggressive.
Speaking of aggressiveness, he has also looked noticeably more active as a defender since arriving in Tauranga. He has been so engaged as a defender. He’s fully locked in on that end of the floor, taking every matchup seriously. He's been using his 6'8 "wingspan to generate live-ball turnovers by disrupting the passing lanes and really going at lesser ball handlers.
Offensively, King has impressed as a cutter, showing a strong feel for timing and positioning to get easy finishes at the rim. His three-point shot remains inconsistent, but he is finding other ways to impact the game. Across his entire pro career, King has never been close to averaging the assist numbers he is right now.
He's also developed great chemistry with Anzac Rissetto in the pick-and-roll. Both men joined Tauranga at the same time and have quickly built a deadly tandem. This level of playmaking and ability to create for others is something we've never seen from King, it's a promising sign in his development as a secondary ball-handler.
King and Tauranga Whai have four games left in their season, and a playoff spot is still within reach if they manage to win out. After that, King is expected to join the Pelicans for Summer League.
It's very clear Joe Dumars and his staff see something in King, and I do too. His defensive instincts, basketball IQ, growing playmaking, and developing shot all make him a potential steal for the Pelicans if he is given the opportunity in New Orleans.