Pelicans Add College Depth With Reese Two-Way Deal

The Pelicans signed forward Julian Reese to a two-way contract on Thursday, completing their offseason roster construction with a proven college performer who spent the 2025-26 season bouncing between the G League and NBA benches. Reese, 23, played alongside current Pelicans center Derik Queen at Maryland and finished last season with the Wizards, where he appeared in 13 games—10 as a starter—and averaged 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.9 minutes per contest. The move required no corresponding roster transaction, as New Orleans had an open two-way slot available.

Reese's path to New Orleans was unconventional. After going undrafted in 2025, he spent most of the 2025-26 campaign with the Raptors 905 in the G League, posting 8.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game across 41 appearances before signing a two-way deal with Washington in late February. The Wizards, in full tank mode down the stretch, gave Reese meaningful run; he converted those minutes into a respectable 10.5 RPG—a season-long rate for a 23-year-old operating primarily as a finisher in pick-and-roll systems. Denver acquired Reese in August's five-team Peyton Watson deal, then waived him roughly a week later, releasing him as an unrestricted free agent.

From a roster architecture standpoint, Reese fills a specific need: cheap, young frontcourt depth who can execute in transition and operate in short-roll situations without requiring high-usage offensive touches. The Pelicans are already constructed around CJ McCollum's shot-creation and Zion Williamson's scoring thrust; a non-ball-handler rebounder with steals—Reese averaged 1.4 per game in his late-season Wizards stint—fits cleanly into a reserve unit tasked with protecting the glass and generating deflections. His connection to Queen, his college teammate, may also smooth integration into New Orleans' system.

On the prop side, Reese's availability carries minimal immediate impact to Pelicans standard-contract players. Two-way signings rarely push established contributors into reduced roles; instead, they occupy end-of-bench minutes during blowouts or injury crises. However, the signing telegraphs the Pelicans' confidence in their perimeter construction—they're not scrambling for emergency frontcourt depth in the buyout market. That stability matters when pricing team total and spread movements if injuries strike the wings or backcourt. Watch for Reese's G League assignment rate early in the season; if he's shuttled to the affiliate immediately, New Orleans' depth concerns may be deeper than this signing suggests. If he's retained in camp and draws garbage time, the signing is exactly what it appears: a low-risk depth filler with an upside path if injuries or trade activity open space on the standard roster.