Should Knicks Finals Victory Push Pacers to Make Trade for Trey Murphy III?

Over the weekend we heard that the Indiana Pacers were rumored to have interest in New Orleans Pelicans small forward Trey Murphy III.

The 6-foot-8 wing averaged 21.5 points per game last season on 47% from the field, 37.9% from three, and 88.6% from the free throw line.

There is no doubt that Murphy III is a gifted basketball player and would be a starter for the Pacers for years to come if they were to make the deal. He's got the size and the two-way versatility that every GM dreams of when looking for a wing to add to their roster.

Today, I want to look at the pros and cons to why the Pacers should or should not look at trading for the Pelicans standout forward.

Pros

TM3 — Jan 16, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

1. Size. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Murphy has elite size at the small forward position. The Pacers have not had a small forward with that type of size since Paul George, and it would be a much welcomed addition to the team.

2. Self Creation. Murphy III is a self creator. As much as I love Aaron Nesmith, he is not someone who can create for himself. When asked to self create more last season with an injured roster, Nesmith really struggled to be that type of player. Murphy III is a great off-ball player, but he has grown into a comfortable on-ball scorer and would give Indiana versatility at that position that they don't get from Aaron.

3. Haliburton's Health. The its a real thing. While everyone is expecting and hoping that Tyrese can return to form and maybe even better, there is no guarantee of that. Adding a player who can carry more of the offensive load helps the Pacers have a more balanced attack and takes pressure off of Tyrese.

4. Age and Salary. Murphy III turns 26 this week and fits in perfectly with the timeline of players on this roster. He is just entering into his prime and is on a favorable contract that runs through the 2028-29 season.

5. Keep Him Off Other East Teams. If the Pacers are able to acquire Murphy III that keeps him off other potential East contenders. Boston could acquire Giannis in a Jaylen Brown trade and then use their $27.7M Traded Player Exception to acquire Murphy. Detroit is also linked to Murphy III and that would be a significant addition for a team that won 60 games last season.

Cons

TM3 — Apr 3, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

1. Price to Get Him. The Pelicans are reportedly asking for a Desmond Bane type of package. That would mean four unprotected first-round picks, and a pick swap protected first overall. Indiana can only currently trade three first-round picks and three swaps.

2. Breaking Up the Pacers Depth. The Indiana Pacers would have to part with one of their 'Core 7' players, but most likely it would be Aaron Nesmith or Obi Toppin just to make the salaries work. If Toppin is the player moved, all Indiana would have to include is Sheppard to make the salaries work for a legal trade. If it were Nesmith, Indiana would have to send Jarace Walker to make the money work. That would leave Indiana thinner depth wise and disrupt established chemistry. Losing Nesmith hurts the defense, and losing Toppin completely dismantles the Pacers power forward/center depth.

3. Future Financial Problems. The Pacers would be right up against the first apron and they would still need to make moves to fill out their roster. This would then push them into the First Apron this season without a way to get under the luxury tax without trading key pieces. While Murphy III doesn't make that much money for a player of his caliber, Indiana liekly becomes a repeater tax team after avoiding the tax for 20 years.

4. Defensive Step Back. If Indiana were to replace Murphy III for Nesmith, they would take a stepback defensively. Murphy III does have more size and a much more gifted offensive player, but he isn't as relentless and aggressive on the defensive end. He can get caught up on screens when trying to navigate, and can take plays off at times, which wouldn't fly for how thin Indiana already is defensively.

Final Thoughts

TM3 — Nov 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Dončić (77) reaches in and misses the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Chad Buchanan said on JMV, after the NBA Draft Lottery, that the team would be willing to make a move if they felt it was for the right player. If they believe that Murphy III is that guy, then I will trust the front office. This is the same regime that traded for Haliburton, Siakam, Nesmith, and Zubac, which highlights how well they've done at targeting players via trade to push the team into a title contender.

I believe the upside of Murphy III is greater than the downside, but the price will be steep. I fully expect Indiana will be more reserved with their offseason moves than making a trade like this, but if they're struggling around the Trade Deadline they should not be hesitant to shake things up.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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