The Best Rookie in the Development League + NCAA Top Center Joined, the Pelicans Find the Treasure

New Orleans Pelicans officially announced today that the team has signed a two-way contract with defender Trae Alexander and center Hunter Dickinson. Although the details of the contract have not been announced, these two signings are a masterpiece of the offseason, injecting fresh blood into the depth of the Pelicans' bench.

25-year-old Trey Alexander is the NBA Development League's Rookie of the Year in the 2024-25 season. During his stunning performance last season with the Nuggets' subordinate team Grand Rapids Golden Team, he averaged 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals, 48.7% from the field and 36.2% from three-point shooting percentage, 41 points in a single game, although he only averaged 4.9 minutes of playing time in the Nuggets' 24 NBA games, Alexander's explosive scoring and organizational ability in the Development League are exactly what the Pelicans' bench urgently needed. His joining will effectively alleviate CJ McCollum's pressure to hold the ball.

23-year-old Hunter Dickinson is the star center in the NCAA arena. In his last season at the University of Kansas, he handed out impressive data: 17.4 points, 10 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per game 34 games and double-digit scored in 32 games, and was selected for the Associated Press All-American Third Team

This 2.13-meter-high white insider has maintained stable output in his five-year college career (Michigan 3 years + Kansas 2 years), with a total of 161 games averaging 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. His arrival will greatly enhance the Pelicans' inside rotation and are a reliable substitute.

The Pelicans have been good at using two-way contracts to dig treasures in recent years - Herbert Jones, who was signed earlier, has now become the starter, and Alvarado is famous for his defense. This time, Alexander and Dickinson signed, the team's abacus was clear:

Salary flexibility: The annual salary of two-way contracts is about 500,000, which does not occupy the official roster space. If you perform poorly, you can withdraw at any time;

Lineup Supplement: The Pelicans currently have insufficient depth in the interior, Dickinson can be trained as the third center; Alexander can provide the second lineup firepower;

After sending Ingram away, the Pelicans have significantly accelerated their youth. Signing these two potential players not only maintains the flexibility of the lineup, but also reserves talents for the future. If Alexander and Dickinson can perform as expected, they will have a chance to turn to a formal contract.

Can Pelicans management bet on future strategies with two two-way contracts? Can they get surprises again? The regular season stage next season will be the best verification venue.