NBA Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans Sign Sean Kilpatrick, Interested In Corey Webster
The New Orleans Pelicans have recently signed one guard and are reportedly interested in possibly bringing in another guard. Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reported that the Pelicans signed shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick to a two-year minimum salary contract that includes a $50,000 guarantee for the upcoming season today.
Kilpatrick recently had a work out with the Pelicans. The 25-year-old also worked out with the Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
Kilpatrick, who averaged 5.5 points in four games for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, played very well for the Milwaukee Bucks during summer league action. He produced 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals a game while shooting 47.4 percent from the floor, 45.7 percent from the three-point line and 84.0 percent from the charity stripe.
Kilpatrick scored in double-figures in all six summer league games, which included two 20-point performances. His best game came against the Houston Rockets on July 15, when he poured in 26 points, on 9-of-12 shooting overall and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
In addition to playing for the Timberwolves, the former Cincinnati Bearcat spent time with the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers D-League teams last year. He appeared in 44 D-League games, averaging 13.9 points along with 3.2 rebounds a game.
With Kilpatrick in tow, the Pelicans currently have 15 players under contract — 13 players possessing fully guaranteed deals — but are reportedly also interested in New Zealand native Corey Webster, according to Niall Anderson of the New Zealand Herald. Bryce Dejean-Jones is the other player with a non-guaranteed contract.
Webster is scheduled to workout with the team for a week. The 26-year old played for the New Zealand Breakers last year, averaging 15.3 points and shooting 42 percent from the three-point line. He also played well for the Serbian squad KK Mega Leks earlier this summer.
But it was his performance in the FIBA Oceania Championships that drew the attention of NBA teams. In the two games against Australia, Webster dumped in 38 points on 17-of-48 shooting from the floor. He also knocked down 4-of-15 shots from beyond the arc.
Webster, who attended the Indiana Pacers mini-camp in June, is an outstanding perimeter shooter who also excels in pick-n-roll situations. Additionally, the six-foot, two-inch combo guard is a capable defender and improving ball-handler.
“He’s more than capable defensively,” Breakers coach Dean Vickerman told Downtown. “He chooses when he really turns it up and I think, you look at the 6’1? guys in the league and the Patty Mills types and the way they’re consistently after it the whole time defensively and so he’s got the speed and the agility.”
If Webster performs well in his workout he could earn an invitation to training camp and then possibly a spot on New Orleans 15-man roster.
New Orleans will likely add a few more players prior to training camp, with restricted point guard Norris Cole being the most likely candidate.
[Photo by Joe Murphy/ Getty Images]
