Grizzlies Exercise Options On Fears, Queen, Missi

The Pelicans have exercised their team options on the 2027/28 contracts of Jeremiah Fears ($8.27MM), Derik Queen ($5.67MM) and Yves Missi ($5.6MM), Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports. Additionally,  they will decline their team option on AJ Johnson ($5.49MM) for the 2027/28 season, which will make him an unrestricted free agent after this season (Twitter link).

Fears, the No. 7 overall pick of the 2025 draft, averaged 14.3 points and 3.4 assists while appearing in all 82 games last season, including 49 starts. He shot a disappointing 33% from 3-point range and enters the season as the likely sixth man with Dejounte Murray starting at the point.

Queen was part of a controversial draft-night trade in 2025 in which the Pelicans gave up an unprotected 2026 pick to move into the 13th spot to select him. Queen showed some flashes of dominance in his rookie campaign, averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while appearing in all but one game. He, too, might have to come off the bench at the start of this season.

Messi is coming off a disappointing second season in which averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game while playing in 66 contests. However, he still projects as a rotation player and potential starter at center, which made it an easier decision to pick up his option as well.

Johnson was acquired from the Grizzlies last month in a four-player deal. Johnson was the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 draft, but he played for three teams in his first two NBA seasons and hasn’t established himself as a reliable role player. In 2025/26, he averaged 3.3 PPG and 1.1 RPG in 9.5 MPG across 48 appearances for Washington and Dallas. He was part of a six-team deal earlier in the summer.