What Dejounte Murray New Orleans Pelicans move will mean for the NBA team? It seems like for years the New Orleans Pelicans have been on the verge of joining the top-tier teams in the Western Conference. Yet, since its inception in 2002, the best that the team has done is a pair of trips to the Western Conference Semi-Finals, and only twice have they appeared in back-to-back playoffs.
On July 6, 2024, the Pels appeared to have added a missing piece to a team that has been full of talent but has struggled to match expectations.
While it cost their bench depth moving Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, Cody Zeller, and E.J. Liddell, as well as two future first-round picks, the Pelicans were able to add Dejounte Murray to their roster, a player with a unique blend of scoring, defensive talent, and playmaking ability.
Although the move itself appears to be perfect, the team would later lose starting center Jonas Valanciunas to free agency, creating yet another missing piece.
A former All-Star while with the San Antonio Spurs, Murray will certainly elevate the the New Orleans Pelicans odds, allowing certain players to return to their more natural role and providing the team with a little bit of everything that was once missing.
— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) July 2, 2024
Playmaking
“I’ma push him…I’m excited to push him to the next level because he has a bunch of levels he can reach.” Those were the words that Murray used when describing his excitement of playing with Willamson, a perennial All-Star level player who many feel has not reached the level of play that he is capable of. With his ability to penetrate and draw the defense, Murray should be able to create open looks for Williamson close to the hoop. Add in the two-man game options that the duo could work together and the highlight reels could be working overtime.
Murray’s ability to push the pace should also help to create easy baskets for Ingram, McCollum, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, potentially lifting the Pels offense to a top-ten ranking (they were thirteenth last season).
One speed bump that could occur is the same that happened in Atlanta with Trae Young. As talented a player as Murray is, he needs the ball in his hands to be his most effective, should the Pelicans elect to continue using McCollum as their primary ball handler (or heaven forbid return to “point Zion”), Murray’s role on the team could take a significant blow. While neither is a threat to lead the league in assists, Murray has been better at dishing out the ball (career average 5.3 compared to 3.6)
Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) goes up for a dunk in front of Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, April 14, 2024. The Atlanta are finalizing talks to trade high-scoring Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for a package expected to include two first-round draft picks, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Scoring
A capable three-level scorer, Murray joins a team that already features three 20+ point scoring options in Williamson, Ingram, and McCollum. The question becomes, who is willing to take a step back, and who should be the one that takes a step back? Having that much firepower on a relatively young team (only McCollum has more than ten years of NBA experience), can be exciting, especially when it provides the Pelicans with another scoring option on any given night.
With a smooth shooting stroke and the ability to finish in traffic, Murray’s scoring versatility makes him a challenging matchup for opposing defenses. Last season Murray took the most three-pointers of his career (7.1 per game), hitting 36% and while his overall FG% took a bit of a dip, (it was on par with his career average) he did put up the most shot attempts of his seven-year career with 18.8 per game.
Defense
Although he has become known for his offense, Murray’s calling card has been his abilities on the other end of the court, or at least it was during his time in San Antonio. Standing 6’5” with a 6’9” wingspan, Murray’s height, length, athleticism, and talent make him a nightmare for both opposing guards. Combining Murray with long, lanky players such as Jones and Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans’ versatility on defense could be a headache for the opposition.
A member of the 2017-18 All-Defensive Team and the 2021-22 league leader in steals, Murray will elevate an already stingy defense that was ranked sixth in the league last season.
Player Movement
It seems like the writing has been on the wall for Ingram for a while. Although he is a 20+ppg weapon for coach Willie Green, Ingram’s lack of availability, perceived unhappiness, and dramatic statistical decline in the playoffs combined with the addition of Murray, will likely lead to a trade in the near future.
As mentioned, the loss of Valanciunas, Nance, and Zeller leaves the Pelicans without a proven big man. Just 26 years old, Ingram is in the prime of his career and could return a piece that fills the Pelicans’ void, rather than the logjam at the forward position.
It’s very likely the current Pelicans roster isn’t going to be the same as the one that starts the season or at the very least finishes the season past the trade deadline.
With a projected starting lineup of Murray, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and either rookie Yves Missi or journeyman Daniel Theis, the Pelicans should be able to compete for a top-six seed in the West or at worst a play-in berth, making their third back-to-back playoff appearance in team history.
