Pelicans waive Taj Gibson

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.