Third-year point guard Langston Galloway had decided to join his hometown team, the New Orleans Pelicans, after he was recently released as an unrestricted free agent by former team New York Knicks.
ESPN reported that the 24-year-old Baton Rouge, Louisiana native had "agreed to terms to join" the Pelicans although contract terms are yet to be disclosed publicly by both parties. Galloway confirmed the agreement through a post in his social media account saying that "I'm coming home!" with his photo donning a New Orleans jersey.
The Knicks cancelled Galloway's $2.7 million qualifying offer this summer to make way for the signing of former Orlando Magic point guard Brandon Jennings, who head coach Jeff Hornacek said to have planned to become Derrick Rose's main backup at the number one spot.
Galloway then became an unrestricted free agent and ready to receive offers from interested takers while New York and Hornacek moved on to sign Jennings to a one-year deal worth $5 million.
The New York Post indicated that Galloway will receive a "multi-year deal" with the Pelicans, which is rumored to be what the former Saint Joseph's standout wanted as the Knicks were unwilling to give him a long-term contract. The report then said that he could get "between $5 million and $6 million annually on a two-year deal with an opt-out" in New Orleans.
Galloway is coming from a two-year, $1 million salary in New York which earned him around $235,000 during his rookie year and $845,000 last season.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard had been a "bright spot" in the Knicks' disappointing 2015-2016 season, which ended with the team not qualifying to the playoffs for the third straight year with a 32-50 record, 13th in the East.
He averaged 7.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 24.8 minutes of playing time per night for Derek Fishes and Kurt Rambis last season, lower than what he produced when incoming sophomore point guard was still not around Jerian Grant. Galloway had averages of 11.8 points, 4.2 boards, and 3.3 assists in 32.4 minutes per game in 2014-2015.
However, with the Knicks overhauling their backcourt by trading Grant and veteran starter Jose Calderon to the Chicago Bulls for Derrick Rose and Justin Holiday, the team reportedly felt that Holiday could already play Galloway's role with Jennings as the backup for Rose.