The New Orleans Pelicans host the Washington Wizards in an NBA Preseason matchup this Friday (16) at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time at the arena), with live coverage in the United States on Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network (GCSEN), MNMT, NBA League Pass, Pelicans+, and Fubo.
Both franchises enter the contest holding identical 2-1 records in the 2026-27 NBA Preseason standings, with the New Orleans Pelicans sitting in third place in the Western Conference and the Washington Wizards occupying sixth place in the Eastern Conference. New Orleans arrives following a 101-97 road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday (14), after having lost to the Miami Heat by 128-118 on October 8, 2026. Washington seeks to bounce back after falling 131-122 to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday (12). In the most recent official meeting between the two sides on March 8, 2026, the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Washington Wizards at home by a score of 138-118 during the 2025-26 regular season.
Where to watch New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards live
Fans in the United States can follow the preseason game through over-the-air television, cable networks, and multiple streaming platforms:
- Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network (GCSEN): over-the-air TV
- MNMT: cable TV
- NBA League Pass: streaming
- Pelicans+: streaming
- Fubo: streaming
Start time and venue for New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards
The NBA Preseason schedule sets the following match details for the clash in Louisiana:
- Date: Friday, October 16, 2026
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time at the arena, America/Chicago)
- Venue: Smoothie King Center, in New Orleans
- Competition and phase: NBA — Preseason
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How the New Orleans Pelicans arrive
The New Orleans Pelicans are led by head coach Jamahl Mosley, who was hired in May 2026 after spending five seasons in charge of the Orlando Magic. This game against Washington wraps up the four-game preseason slate for the team under his guidance. On Thursday (15), the franchise also announced the signing of center Hunter Dickinson to the training camp roster.
The projected starting lineup for the New Orleans Pelicans features Dejounte Murray at point guard, Trey Murphy III at shooting guard, Herbert Jones at small forward, Zion Williamson at power forward, and Yves Missi at center. However, Murray is listed as questionable due to a right toe bruise. He played in the preseason opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder but was held out of the games against the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks out of precaution. “We are going to continue to be precautionary about it. We’re just going to keep evaluating him and how he responds to the treatment we’re giving him. So right now, to try to gauge whether it is playing or not playing, we’re 10 days into training camp. So, I’ll evaluate that once we start to get into regular-season games,” said Jamahl Mosley regarding Murray’s status.
With Murray sidelined in recent outings, second-year point guard Jeremiah Fears and shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin have stepped into starting roles during the preseason. Fears is averaging 13.0 points per game in the exhibition schedule and stood out in the 101-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks with 16 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 20 minutes of action, while Derik Queen grabbed 11 rebounds in that contest. “I think we did a pretty good job. The most important thing was just playing together. We committed to one thing, and that was winning the game,” stated Jeremiah Fears after beating Dallas. In the paint, starting center Yves Missi holds preseason averages of 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
How the Washington Wizards arrive
The Washington Wizards are coached by Brian Keefe, who was retained by general manager Will Dawkins for the 2026-27 NBA campaign. The projected starting five for Washington includes point guard Trae Young, shooting guard Kyshawn George, rookie small forward and No. 1 overall Draft pick AJ Dybantsa, power forward Anthony Davis, and center Alex Sarr.
On the injury report, the Washington Wizards have two confirmed absences and two questionable veterans. Center Tristan Vukcevic is out with a hip injury that has kept him sidelined for at least four weeks since October 1, 2026. Small forward Jamir Watkins is out for the entire season following surgery in July 2026 to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee. Meanwhile, power forward Anthony Davis and small forward Khris Middleton are both listed as questionable for rest.
In their 131-122 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday (12), Kyshawn George paced the Washington Wizards with 21 points, Bilal Coulibaly added 19 points off the bench, AJ Dybantsa scored 14 points, and Trae Young posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists. Across the preseason, George leads the team with a scoring average of 15.7 points per game, followed by Dybantsa at 13.0 points per game, while Young averages 7.7 assists per contest.
Read also: Detroit Pistons vs Toronto Raptors: where to watch live and start time (NBA, Oct 16)
Officiating for New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards
The officiating crew for the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Washington Wizards had not been released by the NBA at the time of publication, as the league announces its referee assignments (Crew Chief, Referee, and Umpire) on the morning of game day.
Head-to-head history and next games for New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards
In the all-time regular-season series between the two franchises, the New Orleans Pelicans hold a narrow 25-24 edge over the Washington Wizards across 49 games played. New Orleans is currently riding a six-game winning streak against Washington dating back to December 13, 2023. During the 2025-26 regular season, in which the Pelicans finished with a 26-56 record and the Wizards went 17-65, New Orleans won both meetings: 128-107 in Washington on January 9, 2026, and 138-118 in New Orleans on March 8, 2026.
Following Friday’s matchup, both teams return to the court on Wednesday (21). The Washington Wizards face the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. ET, while the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Indiana Pacers at 8 p.m. ET.