Is Jeremiah Fears playing tonight against LA Lakers? Latest on Pelicans rookie's status for Summer League clash (July 12)

The New Orleans Pelicans will face the LA Lakers in their second game of the Las Vegas Summer League on Saturday. Rookie Jeremiah Fears should be available for the game at the Thomas and Mack Center.

In their first game of the tournament, the Pelicans faced off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing 98-91 in a close affair. Fears made his debut for New Orleans during the game and had an average performance.

The guard recorded 14 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 27 minutes while shooting 4-12 from the field. Although reaching double digits on his debut, Fears looked nervous at times, committing seven turnovers and six personal fouls.

Sophomore Yves Missi had a similar performance with 13 points, but his 13 rebounds earned him a double-double against Minnesota. However, the best performer for the Pelicans was their two-way player, Lester Quinones.

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Signed to the Birmingham Squadron in the G-League, the guard recorded 20 points on the bench while shooting 62.5% from the 3-point line. He also hit 7-12 from the field while collecting 2 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists.

Despite Quinones' performance, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft should start against the Lakers, as he is viewed as an important piece of the Pelicans' rebuild. The rookie will hope to have a better outing this time around, with two more games remaining in the Summer League.

Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears gets chippy with Timberwolves sophomore during Summer League debut

The Summer League game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Minnesota Timberwolves was entertaining as both teams put up a good fight. New Orleans took the lead in the first quarter, but a 31-point performance in the second quarter saw the Timberwolves take an eight-point lead at halftime.

However, in the last possession before the break, things got a little heated as Jeremiah Fears was seen getting chippy with Terrence Shannon Jr. The altercation started after the Pelicans' rookie shoved Joan Beringer, earning a retaliation from the Timberwolves' sophomore.

Referees and teammates quickly diffused the altercation, and both teams headed into the dressing room. In the second half, the Pelicans put up a good fight, winning the third and tying the fourth. However, the 8-point deficit couldn't be erased as the Timberwolves took home a close 98-91 win.

The Pelicans will be looking to make amends against the LA Lakers on Saturday.

Edited by John Maxwell