Jordan Poole's Time in New Orleans May Already Be Over
Jordan Poole's one-year experiment in New Orleans looks increasingly like a failed experiment — and the Pelicans are apparently done pretending otherwise.
Multiple reports heading into training camp confirm what the box scores have been saying: Poole no longer has a meaningful role in the Pelicans' rotation. New Orleans is now actively exploring trade options, and the recent extension of Darius Bey only sharpens the urgency. With Bey locked in and the team's offensive infrastructure shifting around him, there simply isn't a clear path for Poole to reclaim the kind of usage that justified his contract.
The Pelicans' dilemma isn't unique — it's a cautionary tale about overpaying for shot creation without the defensive profile to complement a rebuilding roster. What makes it thornier is timing. Shopping a high-salary guard with diminished trade value, just as teams are finalizing their own rosters before training camp, is hardly a position of leverage. New Orleans is weighing whether it's worth burning minutes trying to rehabilitate Poole's market value or cutting losses outright. According to Sports Illustrated, the front office appears to be leaning toward the latter.
For Michigan fans, it's a deflating chapter for a player who was one of the program's most electric modern-era guards. Poole's path from Ann Arbor to Golden State felt like destiny; his trajectory since has been a lesson in how quickly NBA windows can close.
Tim Hardaway Jr. Fighting for a Spot in Miami's Loaded Backcourt
While Poole's situation darkens, fellow Michigan alum Tim Hardaway Jr. is at least in the right place at the right time — even if that place is crowded.
Hardaway joined a dramatically retooled Miami Heat this offseason, a roster that now includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, and Bobby Portis alongside returning core pieces like Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins. The Heat generated significant buzz this summer, enough for analysts like Gilbert Arenas to tout them as a legitimate Eastern Conference No. 1 seed contender — though not everyone is buying in, with at least one former NBA center calling Miami's offseason the most overrated of the summer.
For Hardaway specifically, the path to meaningful minutes runs directly through Thompson. Per Sports Illustrated, the rotation spot behind Thompson figures to be the most competitive battle of Miami's training camp, with Hardaway and Pelle Larsson as the primary candidates. Hardaway brings veteran shooting credibility and playoff experience, but Larsson offers a younger, cheaper profile that fits Miami's long-term thinking.
It's a make-or-break audition for a Michigan alum who's bounced between starting and bench roles throughout his career. A strong camp could lock him into a consistent role on a genuine contender. A weak one could see his minutes evaporate fast on a roster with no shortage of options.
Franz Wagner Still Orlando's Cornerstone
The brightest Michigan name in the NBA right now remains Franz Wagner in Orlando. The Magic continue to be built around Wagner and Paolo Banchero as their young core — though trade speculation around Banchero surfaced this week in a proposed three-team blockbuster scenario. Wagner's name notably wasn't in those conversations; he remains one of the few untouchable pieces on Orlando's roster as the franchise tries to take the next step.
Three Michigan alums. Three very different NBA realities heading into the 2026-27 season.
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