The New Orleans Pelicans are interested in bringing back free agent Norris Cole on a contract this summer and star Anthony Davis is hoping the teams signs back the point guard and this comes after Kendrick Perkins has signed a deal to join NO, while the team still has a decision to make with Toney Douglas on his contract.
The Pelicans locked up Davis this offseason with a major contract extension and that will keep him in New Orleans for the next stretch of years. Davis signed a $145 million extension and now the team plans on building around the franchise star. Cole is one of the main free agents left for the Pelicans and he is a restricted free agent, meaning the team can match any offers Cole gets on the market. John Reid of The Times Picayune reports that the team is hoping to retain Cole and that Davis wants the guard to return as well.
Cole was acquired last season from the Miami Heat and he has a qualifying offer of $3 million for this summer. According to Michael Scotto at Sheridan Hoops, the Pelicans are still interested in retaining Cole, as the deadline has passed for teams to bring back qualifying offers. The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly shown interest in Cole and they have enough cap space to make an offer that the Pelicans may not want to match. The Sixers may not want to do that for a player that may not start and that could play into the Pelicans keeping Cole.
Scotto writes that the qualifying offer likely is the best way to go for Cole and the team currently has 13 deals on the roster. The team has a hold for Cole and they just brought in Kendrick Perkins on a deal and that leaves just a few roster spots left. The team remains below the salary cap threshold so they have the ability to keep Cole, but it remains to be seen at what price. Reid writes that the team also has a decision to make on Toney Douglas, as he has an option on his contract for this season.
NOLA.com reports that the Pelicans have until August 1 to decide on Douglas and his deal, which has an option for the second season of his deal. Douglas was signed during the season while the team dealt with injuries to Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday and now the Pelicans have to decide on bringing him back. What happens with Cole could have an effect and they may to make a decision on Douglas until things with Cole play out.
Reid writes that adding Cole and keeping Douglas will give the team 14 players on the roster after signing Perkins. Cole gives the team some solid depth if he stays and it comes after the Pelicans made good work of keeping their free agents, signing back Omer Asik, Alexis Ajinca as well as Dante Cunningham and Luke Babbitt this offseason. The deal with Davis was the biggest move and while it's a massive extension, it likely will not even look that bad once the salary cap continues to rise.
