Pelicans Extend Defensive Ace Herb Jones Through at Least 2029

New Orleans appears set to keep a core piece.

Herb Jones poses for a photo at the Pelicans' most recent media day; an injury truncated his 2025 season. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans may have endured a woeful 2025, but they appear confident in at least one of their pieces.

The Pelicans are signing forward Herb Jones to a three-year extension worth $68 million, according to a Thursday evening report from Shams Charania of ESPN. If confirmed, the deal will keep Jones under contract through 2029 with a player option for 2030.

Jones, 26, was limited to just 20 games this season by a January shoulder injury. In those games, he averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 32.4 minutes.

The Alabama product, however, is far better known for his defense. In 2024, he was named to the NBA's All-Defensive first team, and he has finished in the top 20 in steals per game in each of his three full seasons. With the Crimson Tide, he was the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones has agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension with the franchise, Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of @PrioritySports told ESPN. Jones now has a total five years and $97M on his Pelicans deal – with player option in 2029-30. pic.twitter.com/qXTvYT7Rym

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2025

New Orleans is looking to recover from a 21–61 ledger in '25, its worst by winning percentage since 2005.

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