Dejounte Murray's Impressive Debut Complicates Pelicans' Future

The return of Dejounte Murray on Tuesday night brought excitement to both New Orleans Pelicans fans and players. Murray played his first game since rupturing his Achilles tendon on January 31, 2025, against the Boston Celtics. The former All-Star guard wasted no time making his presence felt, scoring the game’s opening basket on a nice backdoor cut for a reverse layup. That play set the tone for the positive impact Murray had on his team for the remainder of the game.

“It’s good to have him back. That’s my dawg, man”, a smiling Zion Williamson said postgame of Murray after the Pelicans 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors. In all, Murray played 25 minutes, scoring 13 points, with three assists and two rebounds. The energy seemed infectious in the arena and defensively to start the game. New Orleans held the Warriors to just 39 first-half points, as the Pelicans’ ball-pressure led to 21 Warriors turnovers on the night.

first bucket of the game & the season for Dejounte Murray 🙂‍↕️ pic.twitter.com/I8lgZuiagp
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 25, 2026

Dejounte Murray May Boost His Trade Value With More Performances Like Tuesday

Murray was admittedly rusty on the evening, committing five turnovers, but he looked explosive and made a key basket with about a minute left in the game to pad the Pelicans' lead. His playmaking ability is exactly why New Orleans traded for the Seattle native before the start of the 2024-2025 season. New Orleans needed a dominant, explosive guard who could defend and knock down clutch shots. Besides that, his leadership and approach to the game are something this struggling Pelicans team has lacked all season.

The Pelicans traded for Murray knowing of his two-way skillset and clutch shooting. In his final season with the Hawks, Murray knocked down three game-winning shots and had the third-highest points per game in the clutch throughout the league. His pairing with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum figured to be a formidable lineup to compete in the West. However, injuries to all those players forced just a 21-win season for the Pelicans last year and a long road to recovery for Murray after his devastating Achilles injury midway through the year.

When Murray was asked postgame about his feelings about making his first shot of the game, he quickly deferred to what’s most important to him. “It was great, but the win matters, though. Like I’m hungry, I want the fans to know I’m hungry. I’m not suiting up for me. I’m suiting up for this organization, my brothers, and the fans.” Tuesday’s win was the second straight for the Pelicans, a rarity in such a disappointing season that finds them near the bottom of the Western Conference.

The upcoming summer will force the Pelicans to make a few roster decisions for the future. New Orleans doesn’t have a first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. That pick will go to the Atlanta Hawks by virtue of the Derik Queen trade, so upgrading the roster won’t come through the draft. There are also financial implications that the team must address. Murray and fellow guard Jordan Poole are due a combined $60+ million next season, but with the emergence of rookie Jermiah Fears, it seems unlikely New Orleans will keep both veteran guards.

Dejounte Murray: The Return Highlights pic.twitter.com/9t6CwrTnyd
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) February 25, 2026

The last month and a half of the season for Murray could prove to be a post-injury audition for other teams that think his skillset could be used to make them a contender. New Orleans had a similar mindset when it traded Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell, and two future first-round picks for him. If Murray shows continuous improvement throughout the rest of this season, could New Orleans decide to keep the former All-Star in their long-term plans?

Tuesday night’s season debut for Murray was impressive on many fronts. He looked confident following a major injury, and his energy was infectious on both ends of the court. While this season is lost for the Pelicans, Murray may have shown he still has the fire to lead New Orleans back to respectability in the future.