Pelicans Will Eventually Look Smart For Not Making This Offseason Move

This summer, the New Orleans Pelicans faced significant pressure to make wholesale changes after winning just 26 games last season. They brought in a new coaching staff, led by former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, and many anticipated major roster turnover.

Instead, the Pelicans remained relatively intact from last year, which brought moans and groans from fans and supporters.

While top executive Joe Dumars admitted the team tried to upgrade its roster, none of the deals presented made them significantly better.

One rumor that was floating much of the summer was the availability of sharpshooting forward Trey Murphy III. Yahoo Sports NBA writer Kevin O’Connor revealed the Pelicans' starting asking price for the 26-year-old was at least three first-round picks. Teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, and others, were reportedly interested in Murphy III’s services, but no deal was struck in the offseason.

200 TRIPLES for Trey Murphy III this season 🤯 pic.twitter.com/R74LBrUgVq
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 19, 2026

Pelicans Should Be in No Rush to Trade Trey Murphy III

The Pelicans drafted the North Carolina native in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. The team quickly saw glimpses of the forward's scoring ability and outside shooting prowess. Murphy has increased his scoring every season since he’s been in the league, while also fine-tuning other aspects of his game to become a complete package.

Despite New Orleans’ disastrous season, Murphy had a career year and was one of the few bright spots last season. He averaged career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals while starting 66 games, the most of his career.

The former Virginia standout was one of the team's only legit three-point threats last year, so moving him for draft capital would only hamper the team’s already limited ability to make outside shots. New Orleans ranked in the bottom five in three-point attempts, makes, and percentage last season.

Keeping a valuable weapon like Murphy around at least keeps defenses honest when he’s on the floor.

The former first-round pick also fits the current timeline for this Pelicans roster, which is one of the youngest in the league. At 26, Murphy III is entering his sixth season in New Orleans, but he fits well with the development of Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.

Both rookies were phenomenal last year, earning All-NBA Rookie Second Team honors, but both still have strides to make. Neither one is a good outside shooter, and both like to attack the basket. Who better than a sniper like Murphy to help create driving lanes for the duo with his three-point threat and off-ball gravity?

His value has also increased tremendously on the defensive end. Murphy is becoming the quintessential 3&D player in the league, and at 6-foot-9, the Pelicans are using his length and athleticism to their advantage.

Last season, Murphy III was regarded as one of the most versatile defenders in the league, spending a good portion of time defending all five positions on the court. His court disruption allowed him to record a career-best 1.5 steals and an overall net rating of +2.2 when he was on the court.

Despite rival teams’ interest in the talented forward, holding on to him looks like a more viable option than letting him go now for draft capital. While the Pelicans are in no place to exercise patience, not rushing to trade Murphy should serve them better in the long run.

Avoiding a panic move ensured New Orleans did not dig a deeper hole to solve short-term frustration. By holding their ground, the Pelicans kept control of their own timeline—and that discipline makes them look smarter in this regard than the teams that rushed to make a move just for the sake of making one.

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