New Orleans Pelicans Talented Two-Way Wing Considered ‘Rising Star’ in NBA

There are a lot of reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Pelicans with just over a week until the 2024-25 NBA regular season gets underway.

They made a big upgrade in their backcourt, acquiring Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks in a blockbuster trade. He should help on both ends of the court, as his playmaking will be a boon for a team that didn’t use a traditional point guard the majority of the 2023-24 campaign.

Brandon Ingram, who has been involved in a ton of trade rumors the last few months, has been a bright spot in practice. He is reportedly bought in and performing at a high level, looking to earn himself a long-term contract extension.

Zion Williamson is in the best shape of his life, motivated to take that next step in his career. He has reached All-Star level once; can he remain healthy and challenge for an All-NBA spot this season?

But, there is one player who stands out as the one to watch for the Pelicans this season; Trey Murphy.

The 2021 first-round pick has shown signs of being ready for an expanded role. When Williamson was sidelined for the 2024 NBA Playoffs, it was the talented two-way wing that Willie Green tabbed as his replacement in the starting five.

Murphy received a heavy workload, playing 42 minutes per game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That many minutes won’t be played in the regular season, but it is clear New Orleans is ready to add more to his plate. His ascension is one that Kevin Pelton of ESPN has been waiting for since last year.

“One of two players who we also predicted in 2023 could make this year's NBA Rank, Murphy made slight improvements across the board in his per-game averages and played a key role as the Pelicans returned to the playoffs. Injuries limited Murphy to 57 games, and a quick playoff exit conspired to keep him off the top 100 this season. I'm betting on Murphy again, even though he's already dealing with a hamstring strain during the preseason. At some point, Murphy's combination of shooting and size will earn him a full-time starting role that will capture the attention of the NBA Rank panel,” the basketball expert wrote.

The Virginia product is going to be re-evaluated next Wednesday, three weeks from when the injury occurred. He is likely going to miss the start of the season again, but his upside and talent are tantalizing.

Murphy has the prototypical size that NBA teams are looking for in their wing players. The modern game is moving more and more into positionless basketball, which is an atmosphere he can thrive in.

Health is the only thing truly holding him back from a breakout. Ingram’s presence on the roster remains a slight hindrance, but the franchise seems ready to unleash the talented Murphy on the rest of the league.