Pelicans sign Trendon Watford to one-year deal

New Orleans has agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million contract with free-agent forward Trendon Watford, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The signing adds frontcourt depth to a roster that finished 26-56 last season and is still taking shape heading into 2026-27.

Watford slots into a forward group that already includes Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, and Herbert Jones. The Pelicans' offseason has been relatively quiet on the transaction front, making this one of the more concrete roster additions to date.

New Orleans will also carry one of the heaviest travel loads in the league next season, with a pair of overseas games pushing the team's total mileage above every other NBA franchise. Roster depth will matter — the Watford signing is a small but tangible step toward building it.