Dejounte Murray was supposed to be the missing piece the New Orleans Pelicans needed to make a serious run for the NBA title this season. The guard was a solid contributor for the Atlanta Hawks, and his move to NOLA was supposed to be a building block for the team’s solid 2023-24 campaign.
However, after spending five years building a team around Zion Williamson, the Pelicans now find themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference. Given how fortunes have turned for the team, it’s understandable that rumors have surfaced that the front office is ready to blow the entire roster up.
While it’s unfortunate that Murray may find himself playing for another team by this time next season, there are reasons to believe he will not be shipped off by the trade deadline.
Dejounte Murray’s numbers will make it hard for the New Orleans Pelicans to ship him
Murray is playing terrible basketball in the Big Easy, and his lower production will make it difficult for the Pelicans to find a team interested in acquiring his services.
The Washington product is netting 16.6 points this year, a low he hasn’t experienced since the 2020-21 season with the San Antonio Spurs. A team looking for an efficient third scorer would be scared to invest a player or draft picks for him after averaging more than 20 points a season during his two years in Atlanta.
Moreover, ClutchPoints’ Chris Dodson also noted that a potential suitor has found its man elsewhere:
The Golden State Warriors are no longer shopping for a ballhandler after nabbing Dennis Schroder and a second-rounder for De’Anthony Melton and three second-round picks. Every other contender (Top 10 record) has their point guard of the future already in the starting lineup.
While Dejounte is far from productive on the scoring front, he’s shown his chops as a floor general. He’s averaging 6.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.1 steals in his ten starts. He can make a solid contribution to any team that badly needs a point guard.
Dejounte Murray might be headed to the Los Angeles Lakers if the Purple and Gold think he’s worth replacing D’Angelo Russell. However, believing he will finish the year wearing a Pelicans jersey is more believable.
For More Content
For questions and opportunities, message me at [email protected]. Click here for more content about your favorite NBA, WNBA, and college basketball teams!
