New Orleans Pelicans Rising Star's Journey in the NBA Not All Glamorous

Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III worked hard to get the extension he deserved from the team on Monday.

Apr 27, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans Guard Trey Murphy III (25) walks down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during fourth quarter of game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

On Monday, the New Orleans Pelicans and sharpshooting forward Trey Murphy III agreed to a four-year extension worth $112 million. Both sides were able to complete the deal on the final day of the deadline. Failure to reach an agreement then would have allowed Murphy III to become a restricted free agent next summer.

The Pelicans have secured a key member of their young core for the foreseeable future, but his start to his NBA career has not been all sunshine and roses.

A former first-round pick from the University of Virginia, Murphy III was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the No. 17th pick but was quickly traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on draft night. During his rookie season in New Orleans, the sharpshooting forward played in 62 games but was also sent to the G League several times during the season.

Pelicans head coach Willie Green recalls the need for him to get some extra work with the Birmingham Squadron.

"I'm proud that I told him (Murphy III) 'You cant even play for me. Go to the G League for a little bit and learn how to play', Green told reporters after practice on Monday. "He's a young guy that knows how to fight through adversity... By the middle of his first season, he was with us and helped us a ton".

The up-and-down first season paid dividends in his sophomore season when he was thrust into the starting lineup because of multiple injuries on the team. Murphy III started 65 games and increased his point total by nearly ten points a game. He shot a career-high from beyond the arc (40.6%), becoming the fourth player in franchise history to make over 200 three-pointers in a season.

Apr 19, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) shoots a three point basket against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) in the first half during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Many expected a breakout third year for the rising star, especially since he was becoming a household name. Murphy III participated in the Slam Dunk contest in his second season and made it to the final round before losing to the eventual champion Mac McClung. All signs pointed to a major leap for him.

Unfortunately for him, he injured his meniscus during a summer workout before the 2023-24 season. This was the first major injury he suffered in his basketball career, sidelining him for the first 19 games of the season. Murphy III revealed how rough it was for him to go through that experience.

"I tried to keep a positive mindset the whole time. It was rough for me when I found out I tore my meniscus", the forward told reporters at the time. "I knew this would be a big year for me, and I worked really hard throughout the summer. I just tried to keep a positive attitude."

New Orleans slowly incorporated him back into the lineup, and he saw his starts drop from 65 to 23 games last year. Still, he averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists for New Orleans.

An extension seemed like a no-brainer for the former Virginia standout. His skill set fits like a glove next to that of the best player in the Pelicans, Zion Williamson. The summer came and went without a deal in place, but then Murphy III injured his hamstring during New Orleans' training camp session in Nashville, Tennesee. He would be sidelined for at least three weeks, causing him to miss the beginning of the year for the second straight season. Again, he felt "disappointed" in his injury situation.

Trey said he worked this summer on bulking up to compete down low in the paint. The Pelicans' roster lacks size, so guys like him, Herb Jones, and Brandon Ingram will be asked to do more dirty work against bigger teams. Murphy III's season debut will wait until he's fully healed, but his extension from the team on Monday shows the Pelicans look forward to him bouncing back and being successful on the court for years to come.