While the Pelicans are still working to officially finalize the trade of Jrue Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks, the front office is still making moves on the fringes this off-season. According to Andrew Lopez of ESPN, New Orleans agreed to veteran minimum contracts with forward Wenyen Gabriel and guard Sindarius Thornwell on Monday.
Thornwell is the more familiar of the two for Pelican fans after being signed to replace Darius Miller inside the bubble last season. Thornwell, though, did not see the court until after the team was eliminated from playoff contention, playing a combined 35 minutes over the final two games. He spent much of last season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G Leauge, averaging 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 40 games.
Gabriel, meanwhile, was also a fringe player last season, playing 11 games with Sacramento then 19 games with the Trailblazers and seven games in the G Leauge. Unlike Thornwell, Gabriel did have a role with Portland inside the bubble, playing in four of the team’s five playoff games.
