The New Orleans Pelicans are signing forward Malik Dia to a two-way NBA contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday. Dia went undrafted out of Ole Miss and averaged 10.0 points and 5.8 rebounds in five games during the 2026 NBA Summer League.
Dia played 18.9 minutes per game in Summer League, shooting 37.5% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range. He averaged 3.6 made field goals on 9.6 attempts, 1.0 made three-pointer on 2.8 attempts and 1.0 free throw on 1.4 attempts per game.
The 6-foot-7 forward also averaged 1.0 offensive rebound, 4.8 defensive rebounds, 0.2 assists, 1.0 turnover, 1.0 steal and 0.8 blocks in Summer League. His 2.6 fouls per game were accompanied by a minus-5.0 plus-minus over his five appearances.
Dia’s rebounding and defensive activity stood out despite his limited offensive efficiency. He converted 71.4% of his free throws and recorded 1.0 steal and 0.8 blocks per game, while his 5.8 rebounds ranked alongside his scoring average as his primary statistical contributions.
The Pelicans’ interest follows a four-year college career at Vanderbilt, Belmont and Ole Miss. He appeared in 124 games, including 91 starts, and averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game.
Dia’s production increased substantially after transferring to Belmont for the 2023-24 season. As a sophomore, he averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 33 games while shooting 48.8% from the field and 34.1% from three-point range.
At Ole Miss, Dia averaged 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 36 games as a junior before raising his scoring to 14.5 points per game as a senior. He shot 45.2% from the field, 27.5% from three-point range and 68.3% from the free-throw line in 35 games during the 2025-26 season.
The two-way opportunity gives Dia a pathway into New Orleans’ system under new head coach Jamahl Mosley. The Pelicans hired Mosley to a five-year contract in May after finishing 26-56 in 2025-26, with the former Orlando coach identifying defense as the foundation of his approach.
New Orleans already has a young frontcourt that includes Zion Williamson, Derik Queen, Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. Queen averaged 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in 81 games as a rookie last season, while Missi averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 66 appearances.
