New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back, hip) will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Nets. The versatile 25-year-old has been upgraded from probable to available. Jones makes a return after missing one game with a hip and lower back contusion. He should take on his normal role as a starter, pushing Trey Murphy III to the bench. However, Murphy III should still see plenty of action, and both players look to be set up for success on Tuesday as good three-point shooters -- opposing players are hitting 37.6 percent from deep against Brooklyn, which is the fifth-highest percentage in the league.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back, hip) is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday versus Brooklyn, as the team has listed him as probable for the contest. Jones was injured against the Clippers on Friday and couldn't play the following day versus Portland due to a lower back and hip contusion. Trey Murphy III filled in for him as a starter. Jones is a guy who provides a little bit of everything to fantasy managers, but he's been off his game offensively this month, averaging only 7.3 points while his season average stands at 11.0. Murphy III, on the other hand, is having a great month on the attacking front, posting 20.7 points per game, and he will still have plenty of fantasy value, as the 23-year-old gets a nice chunk of minutes despite his bench role in New Orleans.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back/hip) has been downgraded from questionable to out after taking what looked like a pretty bad fall during their game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Jones suffered both a hip and back contusion which will cause him to miss at least one game, but the fact that he was questionable at first is a good sign that he could return for their next contest. In his place, Trey Murphy III will likely be the one to take over the starting spot while Larry Nance Jr. and Naji Marshall get some extra opportunities off of the bench. Jones' status should be monitored leading up to their next game against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (groin) is considered questionable for Monday's meeting with the Raptors. The versatile forward could be unavailable for a third straight game. However, Jones got through a full practice session on Sunday, which points to the fact that he might be ready to return. Trey Murphy III has earned a pair of starts during Jones' absence, although his workload actually hasn't increased, as the 23-year-old has featured heavily off the bench all season. Youngsters Dyson Daniels and Jordan Hawkins will take a hit with Jones' return.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (groin) has been tagged as questionable for their Friday night contest against the San Antonio Spurs. If he, Larry Nance Jr. (ankle), and Zion Williamson (foot) all end up getting ruled out, the front court could be very thin. As of right now, all three are questionable, so the streaming options for this game are murky, at best, until we get an update before tipoff. Jones wasn't able to play in their last game on Wednesday, so his status seems to truly be up in the air. If he's unable to suit up while Williamson and Nance can't play as well, Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels should both be quality streaming options.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (illness) could be forced to come out of the lineup Thursday against Cleveland. He is regarded as questionable for the game due to an illness. Jones has hit a rough patch lately, but he's a guy who generally contributes in all areas and will definitely be missed by the team and fantasy managers alike. With a few other players battling illnesses as well, the Pelicans' rotation could look very unusual on Thursday. Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels would be the primary beneficiaries from Jones' absence.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (fibula) has been ruled out of the team's game on Sunday night against the Dallas Mavericks. He's still dealing with a right fibula contusion and will miss his third consecutive game. While he remains out, Dyson Daniels will continue to see time with the starting five while Matt Ryan, Larry Nance Jr., and Naji Marshall should all see some opportunities off of the bench. Ryan would be a great streaming option if threes are needed, but the other two would likely be more trustworthy.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (fibula) was downgraded late on Wednesday before their last game and ended up missing it. He's back on the injury report and is tagged questionable ahead of their matchup against the Houston Rockets on Friday. Fantasy managers will want to stay tuned for more updates leading up to tipoff because he could be a game-time decision again. Zion Williamson (person) is also listed as questionable, while CJ McCollum (lung) and Trey Murphy III (knee) are both ruled out. If Jones gets downgraded again, Jordan Hawkins and Dyson Daniels would be the best streaming options while Matt Ryan could be a sneaky option as well.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green says forward Herbert Jones (fibula) is not going to play in Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is somewhat surprising after Jones appeared to be closer to probable, since he was seen at morning shootaround. Nevertheless, right fibula soreness will ultimately sideline the 25-year-old three-and-D wing for the first time this year on Wednesday. It's fair to wonder if Jones suffered a setback along the way, but we'll deem him day-to-day unless we hear otherwise before Friday's game against the Houston Rockets. New Orleans is already missing stars CJ McCollum (lung) and Zion Williamson (personal), so Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. look like intriguing DFS salary-relief options on Wednesday's packed 14-game slate.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (fibula) was seen at morning shootaround ahead of Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jones is experiencing right fibula soreness, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of Wednesday morning's session. The 25-year-old three-and-D wing remains formally listed as questionable on the NBA's official injury report ahead of play against the Wolves, but The Athletic's Will Guillory "expects him to go tonight". It sounds fair to deem Jones closer to probable based on that sentiment, barring any setbacks during pregame warmups. New Orleans will already be without CJ McCollum (lung) and Zion Williamson (personal), so more shots could find their way to Jones if he is active in Minnesota. If not, Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. could become interesting as possible DFS budget plays on Wednesday's huge 14-game slate.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (knee) is considered questionable for Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 25-year-old has been a surprisingly solid contributor early in the season. He currently ranks inside the top-60 in per-game fantasy value right now. That is largely due to his defensive ability with him averaging 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks this season. If he's unable to play, Dyson Daniels and Matt Ryan would likely gain fantasy value. Neither player is a great streaming choice, but could have some low-end value if Jones is unable to play.

It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones is staying with the team on a four-year, $54 million deal. The 24-year-old has acted as a key 3-and-D wing for the Pelicans starting lineup over the last two seasons. Jones put forth 9.8 points, 4.1 boards, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game across 29.6 minutes per game last season in New Orleans. The disruptive Jones should remain a decent late-round defensive specialist for fantasy purposes in upcoming drafts. However, Jones may not start 66 games again with Trey Murphy III's emergence and Zion Williamson due to return next year.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones will become a restricted free agent after the team declined his team option on Thursday. The 24-year-old will be a free agent this summer, but is expected to return to New Orleans. The assumption is that the organization declined the $1.9 million option in order to work out a new deal with Jones. The second-round pick has emerged as a key defensive player on the Pelicans roster. He has been a reliable option through his first two seasons. The assumption is that the Pelicans want him back, but we'll see what happens during free agency.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Herbert Jones (back) is returning to the starting five on Friday. The 24-year-old will make his return here against the Orlando Magic after missing each of the last four games due to a back issue. The Pelicans will be starting both Jones and Dyson Daniels on Friday. This team is banged up with Brandon Ingram (toe), Naji Marshall (toe), and Zion Williamson (hamstring) all sidelined. Jones is the better streaming option between the two, but both should have some value with the Pelicans extremely shorthanded.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back) will not play against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Jones was doubtful to play so there was not much optimism in his availability. Dyson Daniels has been starting without Jones in the lineup, but does not offer much fantasy upside. Jose Alvarado has been the one player who's benefited the most with Jones out. Alvarado is a good source of threes, assists and steals while the Pelicans deal with their injuries.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back) is doubtful to play Wednesday against the Miami Heat. Jones is headed for a fourth-straight absence as he tends to a back contusion, but there is optimism surrounding his return. Dyson Daniels has been starting, but Jose Alvarado has been the one reaping the benefits with Jones out.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back) still hasn't been fully cleared to play while suffering from a lower back contusion and is in danger of missing his third consecutive game. The 24-year-old has a clear path to plenty of playing time if he can get back to the court since Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson remain sidelined. If he can't suit up, Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall are the safest streaming options on the team.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back) won't suit up against Detroit. Jones will now miss his second consecutive contest because of a back contusion, meaning Dyson Daniels should remain in the starting lineup. The 19-year-old has averaged only 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in six starts this season. However, with Brandon Ingram (toe) and Zion Williamson (back) also out, Daniels could be more productive.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (back) has been given the questionable tag for Friday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Since leaving Monday's contest with a back injury, he hasn't been able to take the court again. During that time, he's only missed one game so far but is in danger of missing his second. If he remains sidelined, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy III would be the best streaming options on the team.