Trey Murphy-Warriors Buzz Finds New Life Ahead of the NBA Draft

Despite not having a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans are still in the middle of offseason discussions less than a week before the draft. Joe Dumars and the front office have signaled a willingness to trade back into the first round, which has revived the trade buzz around Trey Murphy.

Several teams' interest in Murphy has already been reported. The Pistons and the Pacers are known to be chasing the 25-year-old small forward. On Wednesday, ESPN's Anthony Slater said that the Golden State Warriors are also in on the Trey Murphy sweepstakes.

List of Trey Murphy Suitors Grows As Offseason Approaches

Golden State's interest in the Pelicans forward is nothing new. He has been coveted by the Warriors over the last couple of years due to his team-friendly contract, age, and three-and-D skillset. Until this summer, the Pelicans have been adamant about wanting to hold on to Murphy.

This time around, things may be different. Slater confirmed the previous reporting in his column, calling Murphy "more obtainable in this transaction cycle," before mentioning the Warriors' No. 11 pick in the draft.

Given the reports that the Pelicans are targeting a specific prospect in the draft around the top-ten range, acquiring the Warriors' pick makes plenty of sense. On its own, however, that pick isn't going to be enough to land Murphy.

The Warriors can trade up to three first-round picks in addition to the No. 11 pick. It's unlikely that it would require their entire draft assets to lure Murphy away from New Orleans. The problem here is that the Warriors don't have many young players of intrigue or good role players who can be matching salary.

Brandin Podziemski could be a decent return, and Gui Santos and Will Richard are interesting young players. A potential way to match salaries could be through a sign-and-trade scenario with Kristaps Porzingis. Otherwise, the Warriors will have to include Moses Moody, who will miss most of next season with a torn patellar tendon.

Whether trading Murphy now is a good decision or not is up for debate, but the Pelicans may be igniting a bidding war this summer. He is one of the most coveted players this summer due to his seamless fit on any playoff team. Even if the Warriors aren't able to meet the Pelicans' asking price, their interest should drive up other teams' trade offers.

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