The New Orleans Pelicans seemingly can’t catch a break on the injury front. The Pelicans have been one of the most snake-bitten franchises in recent years, as they have had a lot of talent but have failed to meet expectations due to injuries to their big-time stars.
Since the beginning of the 2014-15 campaign, New Orleans has had such big-time players as Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williams, Jonas Valanciunas, and CJ McCollum. However, the Pelicans have posted just the 19th-best record during this stretch and have made four playoff appearances. Additionally, they have gotten past the first round only once (2018).
Young New Orleans Wing Expected to Begin Important Season On Sidelines, How Long Is He Out & What Does It Mean For Pelicans?
New Orleans has posted winning records in each of the last two seasons. The Pelicans posted a combined 91-73 record over these two seasons, winning 49 games, the franchise’s most since Pelicans 2008-09. After finishing ninth in the West in 2022-23, the Pelicans finished seventh in the West last season, though Denver swept them in the opening round of the playoffs. McCollum, Naji Marshall, Brandon Ingram, and Trey Murphy III missed at least 16 games.
As a result of the past two seasons, more so this past campaign, the Pelicans entered the preseason with high hopes. Williamson is healthy for a second consecutive season, and the Pelicans made one of the biggest moves of the summer by trading for Dejountae Murray. While Jonas Valanciunas is no longer in the Big Easy, Herb Jones, Murphy, and Ingram return despite rumors that he would be dealt.
Jones took a massive step in year three, earning all-NBA Defensive First-Team honors for the first time. He also had a career-best offensive season, compiling 11.0 points and sinking 1.5 3-pointers with shooting splits of 49.8/41.8/86.7%.
Trey Murphy III Injured Again
Speaking of Murphy, he is slated to miss the rest of training camp and the start of the season. Murphy suffered a right hamstring strain during Wednesday’s practice. The team did an MRI on Thursday and revealed the news.
An MRI taken today confirmed the injury, which occurred during yesterday evening’s practice. He will be re-examined in approximately three weeks.
While Murphy will be re-evaluated in three weeks, which puts the evaluation on October 24, he will likely miss more time than just the season opener. The Pelicans open the season at home against the Chicago Bulls on October 23.
Soft tissue injuries can be troublesome. Even if he is cleared on October 23, the Pelicans will likely want to give him some time to ramp up. So, don’t expect to be back at full strength by the end of the month.
New Orleans plays five games this month. After opening against the Bulls, the Pelicans hit the road for four games, closing out the trip with back-to-back games at Golden State. It is possible that Murphy could not return until the Pelicans return home on November 1 against Indiana.
This is the second consecutive season that Murphy will be sidelined at the beginning of the campaign. Murphy tore his meniscus during workouts last September, which ended up costing him the first month. Still, he produced a career season with 14.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 44.3% from the field.
What Does The Injury Mean?
The injury couldn’t have come worse for Murphy, who is eligible for a rookie-scale extension until October 21. Murphy has played a significant role for the Pelicans the past two seasons, whether as a starter or coming off the bench—he is slated to be the Pelicans’ sixth man this season. He is also one of the Pelicans’ best 3-point marksmen, knocking down a career-best 3.0 treys a game last season, and is a career-39.2% shooter from deep.
While the Pelicans finished fourth in the league in 3-point shooting at a 38.4% clip, they were 18th in 3-pointers (12.4) made per game and 24th in attempts (32.6 a game). However, their 3-point per-game numbers went down to 11.3—for-30.0 (36.9%) in the 25 contests he missed.
McCollum is an elite 3-point shooter who knocked 3.6 treys a game at a 42.9% percentage. With Murray now on the roster, McCollum may get a chance to play off the ball more often this year and, therefore, more open looks. Ingram, who has cut his 3-point attempts down in the past few years, has shown the ability to be pretty reliable in the past.
However, Jordan Hawkins and Matt Ryan will likely be the biggest beneficiaries of any time Murphy misses. With the injury to Murphy Hawkins, who had his third-year option picked up earlier today, he moves up to one of the first reserves off the bench. Last season, he averaged 1.6 3-pointers a game at a 36.6% clip, while 66% of his attempts came from deep in 17.6 minutes over 67 games — including 10 starts.
Ryan is a designated shooter. While the 28-year versatile wing hasn’t seen a lot of NBA action, he has knocked down 41.1% of his 3-point attempts.
