The New Orleans Pelicans have no reason to entertain trade talks for Trey Murphy III - not now, and maybe not anytime soon. He’s locked into a team-friendly deal for the next three and a half years, and more importantly, he fits seamlessly next to rising star Derik Queen. In a league where finding a versatile wing who can shoot, defend, and play off a primary creator is like striking gold, Murphy is exactly the kind of player you keep - not shop around.
Now, that hasn’t stopped teams from checking in. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Pelicans would be looking for a “Desmond Bane-type package” in return if they were to even consider parting with Murphy. Translation: it would take a blockbuster offer to pry him away from New Orleans - something in the neighborhood of multiple unprotected first-round picks, pick swaps, and useful salary filler.
That’s the kind of haul Memphis got from Orlando when they dealt Bane. The Magic sent over Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to make the money work, but the real meat of the deal was four unprotected firsts and a 2029 pick swap.
That’s a massive package, but Bane had earned it - he was coming off a season where he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 boards, 3.8 assists, and a steal per game on elite shooting splits (47.2% from the field, 41% from three, 88.3% from the line). He was also freshly signed to a five-year, $197.2 million extension and viewed as the final piece to help Orlando push into true contender territory.
Murphy isn’t Bane - they’re different players with different trajectories - but the logic holds. Any team trying to land Murphy would be hoping he could play a similarly pivotal role. And with the way he’s been trending, that’s not a far-fetched expectation.
Since the start of last season, Murphy has taken his game to another level. He’s putting up 21.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 46.8% from the field, 36.3% from deep, and 89.5% from the free-throw line.
That’s efficient, well-rounded production from a 6'9" wing who can space the floor, defend multiple positions, and doesn’t need the ball to be effective. He’s also just 25 years old and playing the first season of a four-year, $112 million extension - a deal that looks more like a bargain with each passing month.
So yes, it’s fair for the Pelicans to ask for a king’s ransom. But even then, it’s hard to see why they’d say yes.
This isn’t a team looking to tear it down. If anything, this season has made it clear that New Orleans is already building something sustainable - and Derik Queen is at the center of it.
At just 20 years old, Queen has shown he can already run an NBA offense. He’s the kind of foundational piece teams dream of drafting, and the Pelicans’ front office knows it.
Every roster decision from here on out should be about maximizing his strengths and surrounding him with the right talent.
Murphy checks every box. He’s a floor-spacer who doesn’t need the ball to thrive, but can create when called upon.
He defends, he moves without the ball, and he’s already developed real chemistry with Queen. That’s not the kind of player you trade - that’s the kind of player you build around.
And that’s exactly what the Pelicans seem to be doing. There’s no smoke here, no urgency to make a move. Just a team with a young, ascending core that’s starting to figure it out.
Murphy’s name might pop up in rumors, but unless someone comes in with a godfather offer, New Orleans isn’t picking up the phone. Nor should they. They’ve already got the kind of wing other teams spend years - and countless draft picks - trying to find.