All You Need to Know About Dejounte Murray's Status Before Trade Deadline

Dejounte Murray has yet to make his season debut. What should Pelicans fans expect from him the rest of the season?

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Dejounte Murray ruptured his Achilles tendon on January 31, 2025, ending his 2024-25 season prematurely. Almost a year later, the former All-Star guard has yet to return to court.

Before the season, January was given as a realistic target date for Murray to return to action. Since then, injury updates have been few and far between. The last time we heard from the Pelicans on Murray was on January 4, when James Borrego said the 29-year-old was making a lot of progress, and the team was trying to get him back in the building "soon". The interim head coach had added that the team needed more time to "have a little bit more clarity on where he is at." Over two weeks later, Murray doesn't seem to be nearing a return.

This lack of clarity understandably raises concerns among Pelicans fans. So, let's summarize where the talented guard is at with two weeks left before the February 5 trade deadline.

When will Dejounte Murray return to action?

In his latest remarks, Borrego said that the goal was to have Murray back this season, but he wasn't sure when that would be possible. The fact that Borrego wasn't able to say clearly that Murray will play this season suggests that we will have to wait a little longer.

Perhaps if the Pelicans did not have the worst record in the league, there would be more of an incentive to get Murray back on the court. Even if Murray is ready to return, it may be mutually beneficial for both sides to have him sit out until the 2026-27 season.

What is Dejounte Murray's contract situation?

Murray makes $30.8 million this season and is due $32.8 million next season. He has a player option for $30.7 million in the 2027-28 season. Whether he will exercise that option will depend on how the next season goes for the veteran guard. Considering that Jordan Poole is also due $34 million for next season, the Pelicans will be hard-pressed to move on from at least one of the two well-paid combo guards.

What are the chances of Dejounte Murray getting traded before February 5 deadline?

It's safe to treat Murray as a negative asset. The Pelicans will find it hard to trade Murray without attaching draft capital or more assets. Any team that is interested in Murray would presumably want to see him in action before taking on his contract. Murray will not build enough of a trade value between now and February 5, making a trade involving him highly unlikely. Waiting until the offseason to trade him makes more sense for the Pelicans.

Will Dejounte Murray be a long-term piece for the Pelicans?

On paper, Murray is the type of player the Pelicans can use. He can provide perimeter defense and intensity and can be a good fit next to Jeremiah Fears. His mid-range shooting and shot creation can help the Pelicans' offense.

In reality, however, there is a good chance Murray will turn 30 before suiting up again for New Orleans. How he will physically look after missing a year with one of the worst injuries you can have in basketball remains a massive question. Even before his injury, Murray was not the same force he was when he was with the Spurs. One has to assume that he will be at least a step slower after an Achilles rupture.

If there is any interest in Murray, either at the trade deadline or over the summer, the Pelicans would be wise to move on from him as long as they are not giving up additional assets. They may have to feature him upon his return to rehabilitate his trade value, but it's hard to imagine Murray playing a large role for this team at any point going forward. The future belongs to Derik Queen, Fears, and Trey Murphy, and the Pelicans will have to keep that in all of their moves from now on.