Pelicans waive former Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves

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Antonio Reeves drives to the bucket for the Pelicans, via Imagn Images — Antonio Reeves drives to the bucket for the Pelicans, via Ken Blaze, Imagn Images

Antonio Reeves is on the hunt for a new NBA team.

On Thursday afternoon, Michael Scott of HoopsHype reported that the New Orleans Pelicans have waived Reeves, who played at Kentucky for two seasons (2022-24). As a rookie for the Pelicans in 2024-25, Reeves appeared in 44 games (six starts) while averaging 6.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 15 minutes per outing on respectable shooting splits of 45.6/39.5/80. He notably dropped a career-high 34 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers back in November.

New Orleans, which has seen significant changes within the front office since Reeves was taken in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, had until July 23 to guarantee the former Wildcats’ full $1.96 million salary for the 2025-26 season. Reeves was a Third Team All-American during his final season at UK.

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived Antonio Reeves, league sources told @hoopshype. The 24-year-old guard averaged 6.9 points on 45.6% shooting from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range in 44 games for the Pelicans last season. In his last 10 games, he averaged 15.4 points.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 3, 2025

Reeves, who turns 25 in November, was the 47th overall pick by the Orlando Magic in last year’s draft. The 6-foot-5 guard’s rights were immediately traded to the Pelicans, and he later signed a three-year, $5 million contract with a team option in the final season. New Orleans traded two second-round pick swaps in 2030 and 2031 to acquire Reeves, but decided to part ways just 12 months later.

Reeves bounced around in the G League with the Birmingham Squadron — where he clearly outperformed the competition — for most of the 2024-25 campaign, but as the Pelicans continued to tank and rack up losses, the Chicago native was promoted to the big leagues for the final two months of the regular season.

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His best stretch came in the final 12 games (six as a starter) of the season. Reeves averaged 14 points per outing on impressive splits of 49.6/43.5/77.3 during that span. He was teammates with two other Kentucky alums, Brandon Boston Jr. and Keion Brooks Jr., throughout the season. The Pelicans recently declined Boston’s 2025-26 team option.

Reeves will now hit the market as a free agent and could have some suitors as a sharpshooting depth piece.