Dejounte Murray’s time in New Orleans appears to be winding down, and the next stop could come into focus quickly. After a rough stretch with the Pelicans, the veteran guard has asked to be moved, setting up another major decision for a team that is already sitting at 4-9 and searching for answers.
The Pelicans confirmed the request on Friday, saying, “Today, Dejounte Murray’s representatives informed us of his request to be traded,” the Pelicans said in a statement on Friday. “We will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization.”
Murray’s exit chatter picked up after he responded to social media posts from fans criticizing his play, though those posts have since been deleted from his X account.
One of the clearest landing spots mentioned so far is Phoenix. According to a report from The Athletic, Murray has strong interest in joining the Suns in a deal built around Jalen Green. The two players are on similar contracts, but the Suns’ level of interest in Murray remains uncertain, and The Athletic reported that Phoenix and New Orleans have not discussed a Green-for-Murray trade to this point.
There is at least a practical reason the Suns would look at it. Green’s contract is expensive, with a $36 million player option next season, and Phoenix may want to get out from under that number.
Murray is due a $30.8 million player option next year, which makes the fit a little awkward, but he would cost slightly less and bring more playmaking to a roster that could use a starting point guard next to Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges. The catch is obvious: Murray has had trouble staying on the floor in New Orleans, and his salary would still sit on Phoenix’s books next season.
With Bridges headed for free agency, that extra flexibility could matter if the Suns want to keep him.
Golden State also makes the list, though the mechanics are trickier. The Warriors are trying to move Kristaps Porziņģis’s contract, which runs two years and $40 million, after his recent decision to step away from the NBA amid ongoing health issues.
Because Golden State is just under the second apron, a straight one-for-one swap would not work, and Moses Moody might need to be included. The Warriors would rather avoid giving up multiple players such as De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford just to make the money line up.
From Golden State’s perspective, the appeal is simple: Porziņģis’s deal is producing nothing right now, and getting Murray would at least turn that contract slot into something useful. New Orleans could have interest too, since only $3 million of Porziņģis’s contract is guaranteed next season.
There’s also the possibility of a buyout if he and the Pelicans reached that point, which would only make the Warriors more comfortable as a trade partner. On the court, Golden State could use more offense with Steph Curry out, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be healthy the rest of the way.
Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has been strong, but the Warriors still need more production. Murray’s fit with Brandin Podziemski - and eventually Jimmy Butler once he returns from injury - would not be seamless, but Golden State could still use the help.
Detroit is another team that could make sense if the Pistons want a veteran guard to ease the load on Cade Cunningham. Even with All-Star big man Jalen Duren sidelined by a hamstring injury, Cunningham remains the engine. Daniss Jenkins has helped as a secondary ballhandler and second-unit organizer, but Detroit could still use another creator.
Murray would give the Pistons a bucket-getter without requiring draft capital, at least in theory. To make it work, Detroit would likely have to send out John Collins and Kevin Huerter, both of whom are trade restricted until Dec. 15, assuming Duncan Robinson is off the table because of the shooting limitations tied to Duren and All-Defensive wing Ausar Thompson.
The Pistons are not near the first or second aprons, so the money is workable. The bigger question is what happens next season, when Murray’s player option would overlap with Thompson’s extension and the free agency of rotation pieces like Jenkins and Paul Reed.
Sacramento rounds out the group of possible destinations, and the Kings have been hunting for a veteran point guard for a while. They looked at options such as Victor Oladipo and Cameron Payne over the offseason after Russell Westbrook retired, but nothing has solved the problem. Their Ben Simmons signing also went nowhere after he suffered a torn Achilles in practice just before he was set to return to the NBA.
Darius Acuff Jr. has been excellent and has handled the lead role well enough, but the Kings still have not turned that into wins. Malik Monk and second-round pick Emanuel Sharp have been handling the second-unit backcourt, and Sacramento could use more guard depth.
The challenge is salary. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine are the main trade chips, and each is making at least $45 million this season.
For New Orleans to take one of them and stay under the first apron, the Pelicans would need to clear additional money.
Murray and Herb Jones would bring New Orleans almost exactly to LaVine’s $49 million expiring salary, but if Jones is part of the deal, Sacramento would need to send draft assets as well.
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