After two full seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jeremiah Robinson Earl set to start fresh on a new squad in Year 3.
The former Thunder big man was taken with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and at the time, was supposed to be a huge boost for a Thunder squad that hadn't even thought about Chet Holmgren yet. Long story short, he wasn't able to be that player.
Robinson-Earl was talented — he is talented, and has a lot to bring to a young franchise, but he didn't quite match expectations in Oklahoma City, which could largely be chalked up to his struggle with injuries.
In his rookie season, Robinson-Earl started strong. He proved himself capable of being an athletic big, and reeled in multiple rebounds on top of it to make him a developing big — something the Thunder certainly needed.
He averaged 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds, but only played in 49 games after dealing with injuries that never fully allowed the rookie to find his footing — or the bottom of the bucket from behind the arc. His various roles saw him in the starting lineup at times and on the bench almost completely at other times.
That only continued into his second season, though unfortunately for Oklahoma City, that meant lower numbers and lower appearances. An ankle injury only allowed him to play 43 games for Oklahoma City, and it soon became apparent that he might not be in the right place to develop strongly, especially with a 7-foot-1 rookie named Chet Holmgren entering the fold.
So, enter Holmgren and exit Robinson-Earl. The third-year power forward was officially waived by Oklahoma City and will now head slightly south to New Orleans, where he'll join the Pelicans on a two-way contract, per Shams Charania.
So, what can the Pelicans expect?
Well, "new" isn't anything out of the ordinary for Robinson-Earl. His injury and development-focused first couple of seasons saw him experimented with in various roles. Because of that, he won't be phased by any changes or tweaks to the expectations for him in New Orleans.
But his injuries and inconsistent play also mask one of the main reasons the Thunder grabbed him in the first place: his drive.
Robinson-Earl notched numerous double-doubles in college and showcased his ability to make an impact on the floor, and in his peak time with Oklahoma City, that was apparent. He wasn't given the chance to do it on a consistent basis with the Thunder in the two years he was there, but that's exactly it.
Where a consistent role exists, consistent production will likely follow.
The newest member of the Pelicans is likely to benefit from a change of scenery, especially at this stage in his career. Robinson-Earl is still figuring out his body, especially with only a few seasons under his belt, and will ideally be able to remain healthy. But he'll also be able to embrace his two-way ability, maybe by even notching multiple double-doubles the way he did during his college prime.
Plus, playing on a two-way deal will also give him a chance to find consistency and get reps, which will benefit his health and his ability to mesh with his teammates — something his injury prevented him from doing in Year 2 with the Thunder — greatly.
So, it's out with the old and in with the new for Robinson-Earl, though he himself is still very "new" by NBA standards. That's also one of his biggest pluses, though.
Robinson-Earl is young, athletic, hungry and ready to show New Orleans what he's about. It'll just be up to him to make the most of his fresh start and new beginning.
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