OKLAHOMA CITY – New Orleans traded starting shooting guard Buddy Hield in its multi-player deal with Sacramento last week, forcing the Pelicans to replace him in the first unit with E’Twaun Moore on Thursday vs. Houston. They didn’t have that option Saturday, however, because Moore missed the Dallas game for personal reasons, attending the funeral of a family member.
The 6-foot-4 Moore will be back in uniform Sunday for New Orleans (23-36), but it was uncertain during pregame at Chesapeake Energy Arena whether he will start against the Thunder. In Saturday’s defeat to the Mavericks, newcomer Hollis Thompson was given the starting nod, in only his second game for New Orleans.