The New Orleans Pelicans are holding their mini-camp, considering South Korean basketball star Hyunjung Lee for their final roster spot.
What happened?
The Pelicans have already handed out some training camp contracts and could bring in more bodies. One player they have reportedly brought in for minicamp is Hyunjung Lee, a wing who can shoot. South Korean journalist Sung Jin-hyuk reported that both the Boston Celtics and the New Orleans Pelicans will have Lee in camp in August.
Why it matters for New Orleans Pelicans
Lee's most recent action came with the San Antonio Spurs in Summer League, where he put up 9.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on 35.5/33.3/82.8 shooting splits. The free-throw rate being so high is a good sign for the other efficiencies to come around. Maybe the best sign for his chances is that he also picked up 1.2 steals per game.
What comes next?
If Lee can come into camp, put up some solid numbers from three, and show effort on defense, he might have a chance. This coaching staff is more worried about the defense, but they still need to put up points. Someone who can do both will have an edge. Looking back at his college days, Lee shot 39.7% from three on 5.2 attempts per game. He peaked at 15.8 points as a senior, but his best shooting year was his sophomore campaign, when he shot 44.2% on 5.5 attempts. He declared for the NBA draft early, which turned out to be a mistake as he went undrafted. After a short time in the NBA G League, he has had stints in the NBL in Australia and the B.League in Japan. He was a valuable piece of the Illawarra Hawks team that won the NBL in 2025. Now, he is attempting his return to the United States. The Pelicans could do far worse with their final two-way spot if he impresses, but he still seems far away from making an NBA roster. With the Pelicans' recent form of 1W-0D-4L, including the last result: Minnesota Timberwolves 132-126 New Orleans Pelicans (2026-04-13), they are looking to make some changes. This will be a fun story to watch this Fall.
