Dejounte Murray Asks Out of New Orleans, and the 4-8 Pelicans Say They Will Listen to Offers

The New Orleans Pelicans had already endured a hard week on the court. On Friday, they got a hard week off it as well.

Veteran point guard Dejounte Murray has asked to be traded, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, and his agent, Rich Paul, is working with team officials to find a resolution ^[1]. The Pelicans confirmed the request on Friday and said they would weigh any trade opportunities against what is best for the organization ^[3].

How It Got Here

The request did not come out of nowhere. New Orleans is 4-8 ^[2], and the week brought a 51-point loss to Golden State on Monday and a 34-point defeat against Brooklyn on Wednesday, NBC Sports noted ^[1].

Then came the social media flare-up. Yahoo Sports reported that Murray answered a post pointing out that the Pelicans were 3-0 without him and 1-8 with him by saying the "sabotage" is real ^[2]. Within days, his representatives had formally told the team he wanted out ^[3].

The numbers explain some of the frustration on both sides. Murray is averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from 3-point range, though he has been nearly automatic at the free-throw line at 92.6 percent ^[2]. That is a long way from his 2023-24 season in Atlanta, when he averaged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds ^[2].

A Long Road Back

Murray arrived in New Orleans in the summer of 2024, when the Hawks sent him to the Pelicans in a deal that brought Atlanta a package of players and draft picks ^[6]. His first season with his new team was cut short when he ruptured his right Achilles tendon, one of the hardest injuries in basketball to come back from.

In February, when an earlier report claimed he wanted out, Murray publicly denied it and said he was locked in on returning from that injury, Bleacher Report noted at the time ^[5]. Nine months later, the story has changed.

The money is significant. Murray is earning $32.8 million this season and holds a $30.8 million player option for next season, according to NBC Sports and Bleacher Report ^[1][4]. That kind of salary makes any trade more complicated, because a partner has to send back matching contracts.

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Where He Could Land

Phoenix has surfaced in several reports as a team with interest, and The Athletic suggested the request could revive earlier talks between the Suns and Pelicans, Bleacher Report reported ^[4]. There was no confirmation Friday that formal negotiations had begun.

In New Orleans, the bigger picture points toward youth. Yahoo Sports reported that the Pelicans are already prepared to put the offense in the hands of second-year point guard Jeremiah Fears ^[2], who would get a longer runway to grow if Murray is moved.

The Take

Every competitor wants to win, and nobody should fault a veteran for being frustrated with a 4-8 start and two blowout losses in three days. But how a player handles frustration matters. A trade request delivered privately through an agent is part of the business. A public post hinting that teammates or coaches are working against you is something else, and it puts a young locker room in a tough spot.

Murray has fought his way back from a devastating injury, and that perseverance deserves respect. The hope here is that whatever happens next, he and the Pelicans part, or patch things up, with grace. The young players watching how veterans handle adversity are learning lessons that will last longer than any one season. Character shows most when things are going badly, and a season this young still leaves room for everyone involved to write a better ending than the one this week suggested.

For now, Murray remains a Pelican. Whether he suits up in the meantime, and how long the front office takes to find a deal it likes, will be the story to watch as the season moves toward December.