ESPN insider makes case for Pelicans trading Trey Murphy III

Billy Heyen

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ESPN insider makes case for Pelicans trading Trey Murphy III image

Trey Murphy III is one of those players who would be fun to play with in a video game. He shoots 3-pointers with great accuracy, and he skies toward the rim for dunks.

It'd also be fun for basketball fans to see that game in the playoffs, but the New Orleans Pelicans don't appear to be going there anytime soon.

That has pushed Murphy into trade rumors, although the Pelicans insist they won't trade him.

That won't stop other teams from trying to pull off a deal anyway.

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And ESPN's Kevin Pelton makes the case in a new article on Thursday that there's definitely reason for the Pels to deal Murphy.

"Despite last week's report that the Pelicans would not make Murphy available -- along with Herbert Jones, Zion Williamson and rookie lottery picks Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen -- they'll surely field plenty of calls," Pelton writes. "Murphy's reasonable contract (an average of $28 million) and versatile skill set would be more valuable to a contending team than one that should be rebuilding around Fears and Queen."

Pelton then makes the playoff case for Murphy, too.

"Per Stathead.com, Murphy is the only player in the league this season with at least 60 dunks and 60 3-pointers," Pelton writes. "It would be fun to see how that translates in the playoffs, but New Orleans' 2024 sweep at the hands of Oklahoma City was his only appearance as a starter."

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Murphy has been a success for New Orleans, but it doesn't seem his peak years will necessarily align with the Pelicans' peak that their hoping is coming down the road with Queen and Fears.

That could make trading Murphy the best option, if the Pelicans open their minds to it.

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Editorial Team