New Orleans Pelicans Star Dejounte Murray Reveals Expectations After Trade

Following his trade to the New Orleans Pelicans, Dejounte Murray spoke out about his expectations.

Apr 14, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans pulled off one of the biggest moves of the NBA offseason so far when they acquired star guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks.

Murray, who has been mentioned in many trade rumors since before the trade deadline, is expected to fill his role with the Pelicans perfectly. He will bring scoring and defense to New Orleans.

Following the trade, Murray has already made a bold promise to push Zion Williamson. He is looking to use his experience and ability to lead the Pelicans to a championship.

In another quote, the star guard openly talked about his expectations for his transition to New Orleans. He doesn't expect any difficulty at all.

"I understand my role. I'm a basketball player. I'm not a GM. I want to continue to grow as man and a father and basketball player. ... I fit in perfect and I think it's going to be a smooth transition."

During the 2023-24 NBA season, Murray ended up playing in 78 games. He averaged 22.5 points per game to go along with 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. In addition to his averages, he shot 45.9 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from three-point range.

Murray was also a clutch player. He hit a few game-winners and ended up being the Hawks' go-to player in those situations.

At 27 years old, the guard is in the prime of his career. He will be asked to handle point guard duties after playing more of a shooting guard role alongside Trae Young.

It will be interesting to see how he fits into his new role. The Pelicans will need him to figure out chemistry with so much scoring talent already on the roster.

Right now, New Orleans will have a starting lineup including Murray, C.J. McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Williamson. All four of those players are capable of being high-scoring threats.

While it will take sacrifice from everyone involved, the Pelicans will only find success if everyone buys in. They have guys who want to win and haven't been able to do so at the level they would like.

New Orleans is hoping that everyone figures out their roles and focuses on winning instead of personal success. If that happens, they will be able to compete with any team they face.