Jan 7, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15), forward Zion Williamson (1), and forward Herbert Jones (2) react during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Top NBA Defender Signs Three-Year Extension With Pelicans

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 8:03 PM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans didn't do too much in free agency, as former Golden State Warriors big Kevon Looney was their lone signing. They did make a few trades around the NBA Draft, sending CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey, while also making the much-maligned draft night trade to go up and get Derik Queen.

New Orleans believes it can compete this year, even with an interesting roster. They still have a lot of talent on the roster, and they just rewarded one of their most important players with a huge contract extension.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania has announced that the Pelicans have agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension with wing Herbert Jones. He still had two years remaining on his deal, so this extension takes him through the 2029-30 season with a player option on the last year of his deal.

New Orleans has made it a point to keep Herb Jones happy, declining his team option from his rookie deal so they could lock him in long-term. They didn't have to get this deal done this offseason, but he's one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, and they wanted to make sure he stayed a Pelican. He now has five years and $97 million on his deal.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones has agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension with the franchise, Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of @PrioritySports told ESPN. Jones now has a total five years and $97M on his Pelicans deal – with player option in 2029-30. pic.twitter.com/qXTvYT7Rym
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2025

Jones only played in 20 games last season due to a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, but in the 2023-24 season, he was a First Team All-Defense selection and finished 5th in Defensive Player of the Year voting. In 76 games that year, he averaged 11 PPG and 2.2 steals plus blocks per game while shooting 41.8% from three.

If that three-point shot bounces back, Jones will be on one of the best contracts in the NBA after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Pelicans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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