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Pelicans acquire AJ Johnson from Grizzlies

AJ Johnson

NOP Guard #8

Player Stats

The Pelicans acquired AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap.

Selected 23rd overall in the 2024 draft, Johnson has bounced around in his two NBA seasons. After splitting his rookie campaign between Milwaukee and Washington, he appeared in 48 games for the Wizards and Mavericks in 2025-26, averaging 3.3 points in 9.5 minutes. This is the second time this offseason that Johnson has been traded, with the Mavericks sending him to Memphis as part of a deal headlined by Santi Aldama. New Orleans likely executed Tuesday’s reported transaction to free up the space needed to make Bennedict Mathurin’s signing official. As a result, fantasy managers should not expect Johnson to become a factor next season.

- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Shams Charania

More AJ Johnson News

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Related Player News

Bennedict Mathurin

NOP Guard-Forward #9

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ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Bennedict Mathurin has signed a two-year, $16.6 million deal to join the Pelicans.

According to Shams, the Pels asked the Clippers to withdraw their qualifying offer on the restricted free agent so that they could get the deal done. Mathurin’s deal includes a player option that will give him the chance to hit the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer. He should play a significant role for New Orleans, though the competition for minutes will be fiercer than it was in LA.
Bennedict Mathurin

LAC Guard-Forward #9

NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that the Pelicans remain the one “aggressive suitor” for restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin.

Like Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Mathurin’s status as a restricted free agent has made the task of landing a contract a challenging one. Few teams have the cap space to make the former lottery pick an attractive offer, and the Clippers also have to factor in the Kawhi Leonard trade, which the Raptors paused while the NBA investigates his contract. According to Fischer, the Pelicans remain interested in adding Mathurin via sign-and-trade. However, with more players becoming trade-eligible in September, that may have to wait. Another option for Mathurin is to accept the Clippers’ qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Max Strus

LAC Guard-Forward #2

Max Strus has been traded to the Clippers as part of the three-team deal that sent Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers.

Strus will get a fresh start after three seasons in Cleveland. His defense and floor spacing should help make an immediate impact for the Clippers as they look to establish a new identity in the post-Kawhi Leonard era. Strus could start alongside Darius Garland, but his presence in a crowded backcourt will make the rotation difficult to project. Kris Dunn, Bennedict Mathurin (RFA) and Gradey Dick all stand to lose out on minutes with Strus on the squad.
Bennedict Mathurin

LAC Guard-Forward #9

NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the Bulls are one of the teams interested in restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin.

While Mathurin has yet to find a home after hitting restricted free agency, teams have expressed interest in the former lottery pick. In addition to the Pelicans, the Bulls have reportedly joined the pursuit. While Chicago added Norman Powell in free agency and selected Caleb Wilson in the draft, adding another wing scorer like Mathurin to the mix could give their offense a boost. However, the Bulls would likely need to free up cap space to make an offer that the Clippers would refuse to match to land Mathurin. For most of his NBA career, Mathurin has been a better option for points leagues than category leagues.
AJ Johnson

DAL Guard #8

ESPN’S Shams Charania reports that the Mavericks are sending AJ Johnson and draft capital to the Grizzlies in exchange for Santi Aldama.

Johnson will now head to his fourth NBA team in three seasons. The former 2024 first-round pick has logged 77 career games, posting averages of 4.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 35.7/24.5/85.7 shooting splits. He is unlikely to find a substantial role in Memphis or generate much value in fantasy basketball leagues.
Bennedict Mathurin

LAC Guard-Forward #9

Bennedict Mathurin led the Clippers with 23 points (7-of-11 FGs), three rebounds, two assists, three steals and five three-pointers in a 126-121 loss to the Warriors on Wednesday.

There were certainly some lows for Mathurin in April, but he was able to end his first season as a Clipper with back-to-back 20-point outings. There aren’t any questions about his scoring ability, but he hasn’t been able to contribute value in other categories consistently, and that is unlikely to change next season. He’s still a talented young guard, and he played well in this game, but that shouldn’t change how fantasy managers view him heading into next season.
Bennedict Mathurin

LAC Guard-Forward #9

Bennedict Mathurin recorded 20 points (7-of-17 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), nine rebounds, eight assists, one block and two three-pointers in Sunday’s win over the Warriors.

Mathurin capped the regular season with a solid overall performance, finishing one rebound and two assists shy of a triple-double. And he played 32 minutes, the lone Clipper to surpass 30, which may have been an attempt by head coach Tyronn Lue to build up the young wing’s confidence. Mathurin entered Sunday having totaled 24 points on 6-of-22 shooting in his prior four appearances. Even with Kawhi Leonard back in the fold, the Clippers will need a productive Mathurin to navigate the Play-In Tournament and reach the playoffs.
Caleb Martin

DAL Forward #16

Caleb Martin (foot) and Brandon Williams (illness) are doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Bulls.

Martin and Williams are on track to remain sidelined for the Mavericks’ regular-season finale. While the latter has missed the last three games, the former has not played since March 15. Ryan Nembhard started and logged 31 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Spurs, while AJ Johnson played 20 off the bench. Expect a similar approach on Sunday.
Brandon Williams

DAL Guard #10

Brandon Williams (illness) is out for Friday’s game against the Spurs.

Williams remains out for another game, which may result in AJ Johnson playing rotation minutes off the bench. Johnson logged 17 minutes in Wednesday’s loss to the Suns, shooting 1-of-11 from the field. He is not worth the risk in active leagues.
Klay Thompson

DAL Guard #31

Klay Thompson (illness) has been ruled out against the Spurs on Friday.

Thompson wasn’t initially on the injury report, but he will now be unavailable off the bench for a second straight game. AJ Johnson took on extra minutes off the bench on Wednesday and should again in this one, though he didn’t provide much value in a larger role.

Rotoworld

Jalen Brunson

NYK Guard #11
Player Stats

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Jalen Brunson will host the premiere of season 52 of Saturday Night Live.

The episode is set to air on NBC and Peacock on September 26. After leading the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years, Brunson, the reigning Finals MVP, is on top of the basketball world. Now he’ll join a long line of pro athletes who have hosted Saturday Night Live. Brunson had offseason wrist surgery, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp later this month. The 30-year-old point guard has an ADP in the late-second round of fantasy drafts.
- Nick Shlain

Source: Saturday Night Live

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Taj Gibson

NOP Forward #67
Player Stats

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Pelicans waived Taj Gibson.

Acquired from the Grizzlies on Tuesday, Gibson appeared in 10 games last season after joining the team in late February. His contract for the 2026-27 season was not guaranteed, so New Orleans unsurprisingly prioritized salary cap flexibility. Once he clears waivers, the 41-year-old Gibson will be an unrestricted free agent.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: New Orleans Pelicans

More Taj Gibson News
Bez Mbeng

CHA Guard #21
Player Stats

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Hornets signed Bez Mbeng.

While details of the contract were not disclosed, Mbeng is most likely joining the Hornets on an Exhibit 10 contract. He appeared in 15 NBA games with the Jazz last season, starting five, and averaged 8.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals in 32.8 minutes. Given Charlotte’s depth in the backcourt, Mbeng is likely to spend most of his time in the G League. With the Sioux Falls Skyforce currently holding his G League rights, the Hornets would need to make a deal with them to get Mbeng to Greensboro.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Charlotte Hornets

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Taj Gibson

NOP Forward #67
Player Stats

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The Pelicans acquired Taj Gibson and AJ Johnson from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap.

Tuesday’s reported trade was all about the Pelicans freeing up cap space, allowing the team to make Bennedict Mathurin’s signing official. Gibson, who was not on an NBA team at the start of last season, agreed to a deal with the Grizzlies in late February and appeared in 10 games. While a positive voice within the locker room, Gibson has not been a factor in fantasy basketball for quite some time. It’s also unknown whether he’ll be on the Pelicans’ roster when the season begins.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Shams Charania

More Taj Gibson News
AJ Johnson

NOP Guard #8
Player Stats

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The Pelicans acquired AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson from the Grizzlies in exchange for Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy, a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap.

Selected 23rd overall in the 2024 draft, Johnson has bounced around in his two NBA seasons. After splitting his rookie campaign between Milwaukee and Washington, he appeared in 48 games for the Wizards and Mavericks in 2025-26, averaging 3.3 points in 9.5 minutes. This is the second time this offseason that Johnson has been traded, with the Mavericks sending him to Memphis as part of a deal headlined by Santi Aldama. New Orleans likely executed Tuesday’s reported transaction to free up the space needed to make Bennedict Mathurin’s signing official. As a result, fantasy managers should not expect Johnson to become a factor next season.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Shams Charania
Bennedict Mathurin
More AJ Johnson News
Micah Peavy

MEM Guard-Forward #14
Player Stats

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The Pelicans traded Micah Peavy, Jordan Hawkins, a future second-round pick and a second-round pick swap to the Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.

The 40th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Peavy averaged 15.0 minutes per game across 61 appearances for the Pelicans as a rookie. He averaged 4.3 points per game in those appearances, shooting 38.5 percent from the field. With the Grizzlies rebuilding, there may be opportunities for Peavy to contribute, but he’s unlikely to be a consistent actor in fantasy basketball next season.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Shams Charania

More Micah Peavy News
Jordan Hawkins

MEM Guard #24
Player Stats

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ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Pelicans traded Jordan Hawkins, Micah Peavy and multiple second-round picks to the Grizzlies for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson.

The 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Hawkins couldn’t carve out a consistent role for himself over three seasons with the Pelicans. The 2024-25 campaign was his most productive, with the 6-foot-5 guard averaging 10.8 points per game. However, Hawkins couldn’t build on that output, averaging 5.1 points per game last season and falling further down the pecking order in the backcourt. A move to Memphis gives Hawkins a fresh start, but it is unlikely to do much for his short-term fantasy value.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Shams Charania

More Jordan Hawkins News
Kobe Stewart

FA Guard-Forward
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Hornets waived Kobe Stewart.

Signed to an Exhibit 10 contract on September 4, Stewart has been waived by the Hornets. While Monday’s transaction means he won’t participate in training camp, it also means that the 6-foot-6 wing is likely to catch on with the Hornets’ G League affiliate in Greensboro.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Charlotte Hornets

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Hyunjung Lee

POR Small Forward
Player Stats

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The Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin reports that the Trail Blazers are signing Hyunjung Lee to an Exhibit 10 contract.

After leading Nagasaki Velca to its first Japanese B.League title last season, winning Finals MVP honors, Lee played for the Spurs’ summer league team in Las Vegas. The expectation is that he’ll spend next season with Portland’s G League affiliate, which means that Lee is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball in 2026-27. Before beginning his professional career, he spent three seasons at Davidson, earning first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors in 2022.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Sean Highkin

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Grant Nelson

BKN Power Forward
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HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports that the Nets signed Grant Nelson to a two-way contract.

Nelson performed well enough for the Nets’ G League affiliate to earn a 10-day contract in late February. In four appearances for Brooklyn, Nelson averaged 4.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 8.8 minutes. While the two-way deal gives him a more concrete opportunity than the one he received last season, Nelson is unlikely to impact fantasy basketball in 2026-27.
- Raphielle Johnson

Transaction

Source: Michael Scotto

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