Photo: New Orleans Pelicans /Twitter

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed and immediately waived undrafted rookie Johnny O’Neil, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac. The move is part of the team’s strategy to manage their G League affiliate roster.

O’Neil, a 6’10” forward/center, spent the past five years in college basketball, playing three seasons at American University before transferring to Santa Clara in 2023.

During his lone season with the Broncos, he averaged 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game across 34 appearances, including 19 starts, while logging 21.9 minutes per contest.

His shooting splits of .432/.396/.778 demonstrate his ability to contribute both inside and from long range, highlighting his potential as a versatile big man capable of stretching the floor.

Although O’Neil went largely unnoticed in pre-draft discussions and did not participate in the NBA Summer League in July, the Pelicans were reportedly impressed by his rim-protection and floor-spacing abilities.

Signing him to an Exhibit 10 contract and then waiving him allows New Orleans to designate O’Neil as an affiliate player for the Birmingham Squadron in the G League this fall.

Under the terms of the Exhibit 10 deal, O’Neil is eligible for a bonus of up to $85,300 if he spends at least 60 days with the Squadron.

With this move, the Pelicans now have 20 players under contract and appear to be using the 21st roster spot to shuffle players in and out for G League purposes.

Earlier in the week, New Orleans also signed and waived another undrafted rookie, Jalon Moore, reflecting a similar developmental strategy.