Dejounte Murray wants out of New Orleans, and the Pelicans are now working with his camp to figure out a “resolution,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The next stop may not be settled yet, but Phoenix is already in the conversation. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that the Suns have shown interest in Murray, who is owed about $32.8MM this season and holds a $30.8MM player option for 2027/28. His deal also includes $2.4MM in unlikely incentives that count toward the tax aprons, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Charania said on NBA Today that Murray is looking for a team where he can fill a “meaningful, key role.” He also suggested Murray won’t be suiting up for New Orleans again, and the Pelicans have already ruled him out for Friday’s game because of a left ankle sprain.
Murray has also made his frustration public in his own way, posting and deleting multiple tweets that pointed to unhappiness with his situation.
There’s still a big question hanging over any possible move to Phoenix: whether the interest is mutual. Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Murray has “strong interest” in joining the Suns, especially in a deal involving Green, but it’s unclear if the Suns feel the same way. Amick also noted that people from both teams recently said there had been no talks between the sides, though that could change now that Murray’s request is out in the open.
John Hollinger, Amick’s colleague, doesn’t sound convinced this gets resolved quickly. He pointed to Murray’s hefty contract and the player option he controls, saying a buyout might be the path if Murray wants a short-term change of scenery.
The 30-year-old guard’s career has already taken him through several stops. A Seattle native, Murray spent one year at Washington before the Spurs picked him 29th overall in the 2016 draft.
He played his first six NBA seasons in San Antonio, then went to Atlanta in the 2022 offseason. After two seasons with the Hawks, he was traded to New Orleans in the summer of 2024.
His first season with the Pelicans went sideways fast. Murray fractured his left hand in the 2024/25 season opener and missed 17 games, then ruptured his right Achilles tendon in January 2025. He returned in February 2026 and made 14 appearances to finish last season.
This year, he has played nine games and averaged 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.3 minutes per game while shooting .431/.296/.926.
Murray’s résumé still carries plenty of weight. He made second-team All-Defense in 2017/18, missed the entire ’18/19 season with a torn right ACL, and later earned an All-Star nod in ’21/22, his last year with the Spurs. In 526 regular-season games, he’s averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting .454/.338/.796.
If New Orleans and Phoenix ever get serious about a deal, Jalen Green would likely be part of the salary math. Even then, it’s unclear whether the Pelicans would want to take on his contract or whether he’d fit any better next to second-year guard Jeremiah Fears.
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