Dejounte Murray Requested a Trade From the Pelicans. Here Are Four Possible Destinations.

Dejounte Murray’s forgettable stint in New Orleans is headed for its end after the star guard requested a trade from the franchise. His three-year run with the Pelicans was marred by injuries from the start, and he’s now publicly looking for a new home with his team in a perpetual rebuild, now sitting at 4–9.

“Today, Dejounte Murray’s representatives informed us of his request to be traded,” the Pelicans said in a statement on Friday. “We will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization.”

The trade request comes after he recently responded to social media posts from fans who criticized his play, which have since been deleted from his X account.

Murray has strong interest in joining the Suns in a swap for Phoenix guard Jalen Green, according to a report from The Athletic. Green and Murray are on similar contracts, but it’s unclear whether the Suns possess the same level of interest in Murray as he has in heading to the desert. The Athletic report indicated the Suns and Pelicans have not talked about a potential trade involving Green and Murray thus far.

The Suns likely want to get off of Green’s contract ahead of his $36 million player option next season. Murray has a $30.8 million player option next year, though, which makes the fit somewhat peculiar. As Phoenix’s interest remains unclear, here’s a look at all the teams that could make sense for Murray.

Phoenix Suns

Dejounte Murray is reportedly interested in joining the Suns | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Let’s stick on the Suns for a moment as we know that Murray wants to team up with Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges in Phoenix. The Suns could use a starting point guard alongside Booker, but Murray isn’t the cleanest option. He’s a good creator, but he’s struggled to stay on the floor throughout his time in New Orleans and he would keep a $30 million salary on Phoenix’s books next season.

The Suns’ issue with Green is that his level of production hasn’t matched his large salary. Murray brings a similar problem, but maybe Phoenix decides the additional playmaking is worth the swap. If Murray is brought in, he does make a bit less than Green, too. With Bridges headed for free agency, flexibility is important for Phoenix should the franchise want to retain him and acquiring Murray brings a few million worth of wiggle room.

Golden State Warriors

Golden State is another team with a sizable contract it wants to move. That’s Kristaps Porziņģis’s deal, two years for $40 million, which he signed over the offseason before his recent decision to step away from the NBA amid ongoing health issues. The Warriors are just under the second apron, and a 1-for-1 swap for Porziņģis’s deal wouldn’t match up. Moses Moody might have to be added to this scenario because the Warriors wouldn’t want to give up multiple pieces like De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford to get there.

A deal would benefit the Warriors because they could get something out of Porziņģis’s contract, which is currently bringing zero value. On the flip side, the Pelicans could be interested in taking it on since only $3 million of the contract is guaranteed next season. Plus, with Porziņģis away from the NBA, he could work out a buyout with New Orleans, which would only help the Warriors convince them to bite as a trade partner. On the floor, the Warriors could use some additional firepower, especially now with Steph Curry out. It’s no guarantee that he will be healthy the rest of the way, too.

Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has been great, but every little bit helps. Even if Murray’s fit isn’t clean with Brandin Podziemski in the picture and, eventually, Jimmy Butler once he returns from injury, the Warriors need to get some production out of the hole Porziņģis’s contract has left.

NEXT: An Injured Steph Curry Is a Blow for the Warriors—But This Time, It Doesn’t Have to Be Fatal

Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham does it all for the Pistons. Even with All-Star big man Jalen Duren out with a hamstring injury, that always remains true. Daniss Jenkins has been great as a secondary ballhandler and a player who can run the second unit, but Detroit could benefit from a veteran guard who could make Cunningham’s life a little easier.

If the Pistons want to get a bucket-getter that likely wouldn’t require draft capital thrown elsewhere, Murray would make sense. Detroit would have to trade away John Collins and Kevin Huerter (both of whom are trade restricted until Dec. 15), assuming Duncan Robinson is off limits as a premier floor spacer for the shooting limitations that come with Duren and All-Defensive wing Ausar Thompson. The Pistons aren’t near the first or second aprons this year, so they could make the money work. An issue would be Murray’s player option next year once Thompson’s extension kicks in and rotation players like Jenkins and Paul Reed become free agents.

More shot creation to take some pressure off Cunningham has been a need for a while, though, and Murray could be a low-pressure stopgap if the front office is confident he can stay on the floor.

Sacramento Kings

The lowly Kings have been in search of a veteran point guard to take some pressure off of rookie sensation Darius Acuff Jr. for a while. Russell Westbrook retired and Sacramento reportedly worked out players like Victor Oladipo and Cameron Payne over the offseason. The search hasn’t amounted to anything, especially when you consider the Ben Simmons signing before he went down with a torn Achilles during practice just ahead of his return to the NBA.

Acuff is off to an incredible start, and he’s been fine being the man for the Kings, it just hasn’t amounted to wins. Some guard depth would help with Malik Monk and second-round pick Emanuel Sharp manning the backcourt in the second unit. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are Sacramento’s primary trade candidates and they are each making at least $45 million this season, so the Pelicans would need to shed additional salary to take back one of them and remain under the first apron (where they are currently hard-capped).

Murray and Herb Jones (who’s another Pelicans trade candidate) would get the Pelicans to match LaVine’s $49 million expiring salary nearly exactly, but New Orleans would need some draft assets from Sacramento if Jones was included.

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