Dejounte Murray is suddenly back on the trade market, but the Brooklyn Nets have little reason to jump in.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday that the New Orleans Pelicans guard wants a trade. Murray came back late last season after recovering from a torn Achilles, and so far his run in New Orleans has been underwhelming.
That doesn’t mean he lacks appeal. He’s a former All-Star on a long-term contract, and for a team hunting for help at point guard, there’s at least something to work with. The Nets could check some of those boxes, but they still shouldn’t make this a priority.
Murray has put up 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists across three partial seasons with the Pelicans. Those are respectable numbers, especially given the injury he’s coming back from. But Brooklyn has a pretty fresh reminder of why this may not be the right swing.
The Nets’ most recent game was against Murray and New Orleans, and Brooklyn rolled to a 145-111 win on Wednesday night in New Orleans. Murray never got going in that one. He played 28 minutes and finished with five points, four assists and two turnovers.
One game doesn’t define a player, of course. But the bigger concern is that Murray hasn’t exactly built a case as a clear winning piece in his recent stops. He was a steals leader, an All-Star and an All-Defensive selection, so in theory he should slide into just about any roster and make it better.
That hasn’t really happened. Both in Atlanta and then in New Orleans, his new teams won fewer games in his first season than they had the year before he arrived.
Not all of that falls on Murray, but it matters when teams are paying for the idea that he can help right away.
And that’s where Brooklyn should be careful. Even without a reported asking price from New Orleans, the Pelicans have not been in a mood to move players cheaply. That makes it hard to see the Nets getting a fair deal, at least in the short term.
In Other News...
Nets Fans Should Watch One Costly Trade Possibility Closely
The Spurs have spent the offseason keeping their core together, re-signing most of last seasons roster and adding veteran forward Tobias Harris in an effort to boost their shooting. Harris is already dealing with a calf injury, which only adds another layer to a situation that has San Antonio still looking for more reliable perimeter help as training camp approaches.
From the Nets side, the name to watch is Michael Porter Jr., whose scoring and floor-spacing would fit the kind of shooting upgrade San Antonio is trying to build. The buzz is still just that for now, but if the Spurs keep searching for another option on the wing, Brooklyn could find itself pulled into a conversation it would rather not have. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Rebuild Could Force Another Tough Roster Call Soon
The Nets win over the New Orleans Pelicans offered another reminder that there is still some usable talent on this roster, even as the franchise keeps one eye on the bigger picture. Jordi Fernandez has been working to fit Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle into the mix, and both veterans give Brooklyn a level of scoring and experience that can help steady a young group while the rebuild continues to take shape.
But the long-term direction remains the real story here. Brooklyn has multiple draft picks to work with and is still leaning into development, which means the front office has to weigh present production against future flexibility every time the phone rings. The challenge is familiar for a team in this stage of the process: keep building a competitive environment now without losing sight of the roster decisions that could matter most later. [Read more 🡒]
Nets May Have Found Something With Michael Porter Jr And Julius Randle
The Nets recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans offered a glimpse of what their offense might look like when Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle start to settle in together. Brooklyn played with more purpose and cohesion, and Porter pointed to the importance of communication and ball movement as the kind of habits that can help the group find a better rhythm on that end of the floor.
Jordi Fernandez has been preaching a style built on attacking the paint and then using shooters to keep defenses honest, which gives Porter and Randle a clear framework to work within. With DayRon Sharpe, Nolan Traore and Egor Demin also part of the mix around them, the Nets have the pieces to make that approach work, but the next step is turning a promising fit into something more consistent. [Read more 🡒]