New Orleans Pelicans Summer League Star Looks Like A Hidden Gem

The New Orleans Pelicans may have found an answer at center with their most recent signing showing off at Summer League.

Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans have yet to win a game during the NBA Summer League, but could have found something more valuable.

It's always important to take Summer League performances with a grain of salt, but rookie center Karlo Matkovic had a breakout night against the San Antonio Spurs.

The big had 25 points, five rebounds and three blocks on 11-for-13 from the field including making two out of his three shots from behind the line. Even though it's highly unlikely that he maintains that level of play, it shows that he can do things that New Orleans desperately needs.

"If you didn't know about him before this game, you know about him now. Willie Green is over there taking notes saying 'I see how I can use him, I see how he can help us win ball games,'" said announcer Dennis Scott about Matkovic's night during the broadcast of the matchup.

The Pelicans signed the 23-year-old three-year, $4.9 million deal a few days ago.

He started his professional basketball career back in his home nation of Croatia in 2018, back when he was just 17.

New Orleans selected him with the No. 52 overall selection in the 2022 NBA draft, proving that they've had interest in him for a while, but he chose not to come to America until he joined the Birmingham Squadron. In the New Orlean's G-League affiliate, he clearly showed enough to warrant a bigger deal. The team has finally cashed in on their long term investment.

It couldn't have come at a better time as the center position is as weak as ever for the Pelicans.

Losing both Jonas Valanciunas and Larry Nance Jr. has looked rough on paper, with Daniel Theis and the incredibly raw Yves Missi being the only two real center options for a bit.

During the summer league, Markovic has shown the ability to stretch the floor and act as a lob threat while protecting the rim.

Theis and Missi have both shown to be able to do at least one of those things, but having them on the floor means sacrificing another.

New Orleans VP David Griffin showed optimism that the center position would be figured out if Matkovic showed to be the player they had hoped during the first Summer League broadcast.

"If [he] is able to evolve as quickly as he's showing he has so far, that would be really helpful to us," said Griffin. "Because the ability to create that single side tag is something we just didn't have last year. And And and Zion being able to play off of that will be a really good fit for us, we believe."

Fans seem to be ecstatic about the early returns on the most recent contract that the team handed out and Griffin should be as well. There is a world in which Matkovich earns a starting role this season, as the position is wide open.