Herb Jones, Pelicans Agree to 3-Year, $68M Contract Extension Amid NBA Free Agency

Herb Jones and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension, Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The 26-year-old small forward now has five years and $97 million total on his Pelicans deal, which includes a player option in 2029.

Jones averaged 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game last season over 20 games. The Pelicans forward suffered a labrum tear in January and missed the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery in mid-February.

Despite the injury, Jones has been a key part of the Pelicans’ young core, earning a major extension this offseason. He was named to the 2023-24 All-Defensive First Team and has totaled 350 steals and 150 blocks since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2021.

During the 2023-24 season, he also shot a career-best 42 percent from three-point range while averaging a career-high 11.0 points per game.

The Pelicans declined his team option from his rookie deal with the intention of keeping him long-term — a move that paid off as the two sides finalized the new contract Thursday.