Pelicans Scoop

New Orleans Pelicans Former First-Round Pick Taking Offensive Game to Another Level

A young New Orleans Pelicans player is showing that he is ready for an expanded role on the court.

Kenneth Teape

Dec 23, 2021; Orlando, Florida, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center.
Dec 23, 2021; Orlando, Florida, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images
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If all things shake out the way they should, the 2024-25 NBA season is going to be a coming-out party for New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy.

A first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Virginia, he has been an integral part of Willie Green’s rotation since entering the league. He is the kind of player that teams are looking to build their rosters around in the modern day.

Murphy has a 3-and-D base, a strong archetype to build off of. 

Green knows that he can trust his young wing with any assignment he throws at him defensively. Measured at 6’8” with a 7-foot wingspan, he is a terror on the perimeter in the passing lanes.

Whether it is in team defense or 1-on-1, he gets the job done. Given his combination of size, length and athleticism, he can defend virtually every position on the court.

That makes him incredibly valuable before even getting into what he offers offensively.

Murphy’s best asset right now is his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter with great efficiency, creating space for his teammates to operate in the middle of the court.

In his career, he is a 39.2 percent shooter from 3-point range. Shockingly, he struggled last season in spot-up situations, knocking down only 37.8 percent. If he can improve in that area, he will become one of the elite perimeter shotmakers in the NBA.

However, calling Murphy a 3-and-D player is inaccurate; it doesn’t give credit to the improvements he has made in other areas of his game.

Last season, he continued his impressive turnover avoidance despite upping his usage percentage and how often the ball was in his hands. You can trust him to make the right decision but also generate easy points at the foul line.

As shared by BBall Index on X, Murphy is an elite player when it comes to drawing fouls. Among players who played at least 1,000 minutes with five drive attempts per 75 minutes, Murphy was No. 10 in Foul Drive Rate.

His free throw attempts per game of 2.6 don’t seem like a lot, but he has increased that number each season as a pro. Another leap in that regard, along with a potentially larger role, will push him toward the high-teens for points per game.

The only thing standing in the way of a Murphy breakout is Brandon Ingram. They play the same position, so if a trade involving the veteran is made, the runway will be clear for the Virginia product to explode onto the national scene this season.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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