Pelicans Sign Kelan Martin and Javonte Smart, Waive Two

The Pelicans have signed small forward Kelan Martin and guard Javonte Smart, the team announced in a press release.

To create room, New Orleans waived two-way forward John Butler and guard John Petty Jr.

Martin, 27, is 6-foot-6 and appeared in 27 games with the Pacers last season, averaging 6.3 points and 2.0 rebounds. He was waived on Jan. 26, then signed a pair of 10-day deals with the Celtics.

Smart, 23, is 6-4 and went undrafted out of LSU in 2021, appearing in 17 total games with the Bucks and Heat, averaging 3.0 points and 1.4 rebounds.

Butler, 19, is 7-2 and went undrafted out of Florida State, then signed with the Pelicans for summer league. He went 12-of-16 from the field in those games, averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds, showing range on his jump shot.

Petty, 23, is 6-5 and went undrafted out of Alabama in 2021, then went on to play for the Birmingham Squadron as an affiliate player.