NBA Writer Has Harsh Assessment of Pelicans' Dejounte Murray Acquisition

An NBA writer did not have a positive assessment to their big offseason acquisition of guard Dejounte Murray.

Mar 10, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) controls the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at State Farm Arena. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

There were some blockbuster moves made during the 2024 NBA offseason. One of the biggest ones was completed between the New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks.

Two summers after acquiring Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs in a huge trade, the Hawks moved on from Murray. The fit of him and Trae Young in the backcourt was not as effective as Atlanta had hoped, leading to them changing course.

Looking to upgrade their backcourt, the Pelicans acquired him in a big transaction.

Dyson Daniels, a Top 10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller and E.J. Liddell were part of the package, along with two first-round picks.

New Orleans is hoping that Murray will help push the team out of the NBA Play-In Tournament range in the Western Conference. His defensive abilities will fit into Willie Green’s scheme well. His playmaking and ball-handling seem to be great fits offensively, taking pressure off of CJ McCollum, who was miscast a bit as a lead guard.

However, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic is skeptical if things will come together for the Pelicans.

In a recent piece, Mayberry, Josh Robbins and Kelly Iko shared their opinion on moves this summer.

For Mayberry, the move most likely to fizzle or be unsuccessful is Murray heading to New Orleans. He admits the move looks great and the roster is more talented, but isn’t sure the pieces will fit.

“There are too many questions surrounding Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and an aging CJ McCollum for me to think Murray — who needs the ball to be most effective — will slide in and make everything right. Murray might help. But if the Pelicans do implode, we know something was in the water down in New Orleans long before Murray got there. It wouldn’t be his fault,” he wrote.

The current construction of the Pelicans’ roster is an odd one.

Murray was a great addition, but the roster is not balanced out very well. That leads to some people feeling as if the other foot will eventually drop.

The most likely outcome is a trade centered around Brandon Ingram. He has been mentioned in plenty of rumors this summer and moving him could help fill voids on the roster the center spot and their logjam on the wing.

That could be alleviated by dealing Ingram, who is entering the final season of his contract.