Pelicans re-sign recently waived sharpshooter

Despite their first-round 2024 playoff exit, the New Orleans Pelicans are entering an exciting time. The Pelicans have no shortage of talent on their roster with players like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram returning. The team continues to add support, as they have moved to resign sharpshooter Matt Ryan ahead of training camp.

On Aug. 23, the Pelicans waived Ryan from their roster. However, they are resigning the forward on a restructured one-year deal, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Matt Ryan started his NBA career with the Boston Celtics during the 2021-22 season. After one year, he saw more action with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23, averaging 3.9 points and shooting 37.1 percent on his three-pointers in 12 appearances. Ryan maintained similar production with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half of the season before finally landing with the Pelicans.

In 28 games in 2023-24, Ryan averaged a career-high 5.4 points on a red-hot 45.1 percent three-point shooting clip. The rising fifth-year forward looks to provide meaningful support to a Pelicans squad looking to take a jump.

New Orleans is coming off a year where they finished with a 49-33 record. They earned the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, but the Oklahoma City Thunder swept them in four games.

The Pelicans’ early exit sparked trade rumors primarily surrounding Brandon Ingram. Yet, he remains on the roster ahead of team training camp. If he and New Orleans’ other contributors stay healthy, they could see a big improvement.

Pelicans bracing for massive leap

One arguably cannot talk about the Pelicans without mentioning Zion Williamson. Williamson is coming off one of his most impressive seasons amid concerns about his injury status. The two-time NBA All-Star played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24. He averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.

Williamson showed his potential was sky-high during the Pelicans’ 2024 in-season tournament game against the Los Angeles Lakers. He totaled 40 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and shot 17-27 from the field. Williamson’s performance prompted an exciting praise from LeBron James despite New Orleans’ loss.

“He’s gonna be great for a long time. Obviously, had a slow start to the season this year, but he’s a generational player, a generational talent. He’s gonna continue to get better and better and better, and tonight was just a small microcosm of how great he can be,” James said, per Michael Corvo of ClutchPoints.

With Williamson leading the charge, the Pelicans have a chance to make noise during the 2024-25 season.