Pelicans Scoop Season-End Review: Trey Murphy III

Trey Murphy III's meteoric 2nd-year rise spells a bright future for him and the Pelicans.

Author:
Terry Kimble
Apr 26, 2023 10:18 AM EDT

In this story:

New Orleans, La - Avoiding a sophomore slump is a term many warn athletes about constantly. New Orleans Pelicans rising star Trey Murphy III did that with his successful second year in the NBA. Murphy's numbers increased across the board and showed why he is a force to reckon with in the future.

Murphy started 65 games for the Pelicans this year. Trey doubled his minutes, shot attempts, and points from his rookie season. Most impressive is the efficiency in with he did. Murphy became just the third player in NBA history to shoot 60% from two, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% on his free throw attempts in a year. He also became the youngest player to accomplish this at just 22 years of age.

His 202 made 3-point shots are only the fourth time in franchise history that a player has made more than 200 in a season. Murphy joins CJ McCollum, Ryan Anderson, and Peja Stojakovic as the only others. He also set the franchise record for three-pointers made in a month (60), which he set in March.

However, Trey has proven to be more than just a deadly outside shooter.

While he is not known as a defensive stopper, Murphy made tremendous strides in that area of his game. He was second on the team in steals (89) and second in blocked shots (43). His length and athleticism proved to be disruptive to opposing offenses. Along with the perimeter defense of Herb Jones, the Pelicans had the sixth-best defensive rank in the NBA.

Apr 5, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) reacts to a foul on Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) that makes him go out the game during overtime at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Murphy also proved himself during NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. He participated in the premier event on Saturday night, the dunk contest. Murphy made it to the finals before losing to the eventual champion Mac McClung. Still, having that many eyes watching Trey can only increase his chances of becoming a household name soon.

Season Highlight

March 12, 2023 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Career-high 41 points.

New Orleans was desperate for a win, and Murphy delivered one. Playing without Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, the Pelicans needed a spark on offense. Trey obliged by hitting nine 3-point shots in the blowout victory. Murphy also grabbed seven rebounds and was staggering +44 in the game.

Season Lowlight

February 15, 2023 at Los Angeles Lakers. 2 points, 2 rebounds, 0/6 from the field.

The Pelicans were playing their last game before the All-Star break, and it showed. Murphy missed all his shot attempts and did not play in the fourth quarter. He had the second-worst +/- among the starters and as many turnovers as points. It was a regrettable day at the office for him.

Future Outlook

In the Pelicans media exit interviews, Murphy commented that he wanted to get stronger in his dribble and transition. There was a noticeable improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 in his ability to get to the basket. Now that he has improved defensively, there will be plenty of opportunities for him to initiate transition offense off of his defense alone. It will be exciting to see how he progresses in the future. Whatever future the Pelicans have, expect Trey Murphy III to be a part of it.