Ranking 5 best Trey Murphy III trade destinations if Pelicans take plunge before 2026 deadline

The New Orleans Pelicans may have picked one of the worst years possible to have a poor season. After all, they did fork over their unprotected first-round pick in the deal that netted them Derik Queen on draft night, which will force them to miss out on prospects such as Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer, just to name a few, all of whom have scouts salivating.

They currently have a 12-36 record, and conventional wisdom suggests that any team that is in the bottom of the standings will be more inclined to sell on their best players. But the Pelicans have no such intentions. In fact, reports have indicated that New Orleans will be keeping the likes of Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, among others, past the trade deadline.

The Pelicans are hopeful that they can turn things around quickly in the coming seasons, hence their steadfastness in keeping Murphy. Murphy would net them such a huge return on the trade market, especially when he’s under contract for three more seasons after this current campaign on such an affordable and team-friendly deal.

Things can change quickly in the NBA; trades can materialize from out of nowhere, similar to how the Los Angeles Lakers surprised the entire world by trading for Luka Doncic.

This just means that as much as the Pelicans would want to keep Murphy, a grandfather offer may be able to change their mind. In that case, here are the teams that make the most sense for the 25-year-old wing.

5. Los Angeles Lakers

If there’s a team that would benefit so much from acquiring a major upgrade on the wing, it’s the Los Angeles Lakers. Acquiring a big man might be a more pressing issue considering that Deandre Ayton has been struggling as of late and he’s not done anything to convince anyone that he’s the team’s long-term solution at the five. But acquiring someone as good as Murphy would open up so much for this Lakers squad.

With Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James all taking turns handling the rock, an off-ball scorer as proficient as Murphy would feast for the Lakers. He’s like a supercharged version of Rui Hachimura, a more efficient shooter, a more audacious sniper, and a better defender on the perimeter.

Murphy does not need the ball too much; in fact, 76.6 percent of his made field goals this season have been assisted. But he’s more than just an off-ball scorer. He can attack aggressive closeouts and create off the bounce in a pinch, and he would elevate the Lakers’ elite offense even further.

Alas, the Lakers do not have the assets to bring in Murphy, especially not at the price point the Pelicans have set — rendering this as nothing more than a pipe dream.

4. Golden State Warriors

Earlier in the season, the Warriors were at the center of rumors regarding a potential blockbuster trade to bring someone like Murphy in from the Pelicans with a package centered around Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State does have the future first-round picks to swing a potential trade if they so chose.

However, the torn ACL to Jimmy Butler changes matters for the Warriors. If they were to re-open their title-contending window, they need a legitimate ballhandling superstar on the wing to complement Stephen Curry. This is not to say that Murphy wouldn’t help the Warriors; his scoring efficiency and ability to find space off the ball means that he’s a perfect fit within the team’s offense.

But the Butler injury has created a ballhandling, playmaking, and scoring void that Murphy may not be able to fill. And with the Warriors having limited assets as it is, they would want to go all in on a superstar who can take some on-ball shot-creation load off of Curry’s shoulders.

The Warriors still have dreams of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo or a star of a similar caliber. Murphy should be further down their priority list these days, as they’re no longer in the position of needing just one more piece to get over the hump the way they were prior to Butler’s injury.

3. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers have been rumored to have taken an interest in New York Knicks wing Mikal Bridges, acting as a third team to facilitate a potential Antetokounmpo trade involving the Knicks. Bridges, however, has been up and down, and he’s not been quite himself as of late. He seems to be the kind of player who fits a contending ensemble more so than being the final piece to get a team over the hump.

What the Blazers need is a more explosive scorer, and Murphy fits the bill. Even on an inconsistent Pelicans team where he commands so much defensive attention, Murphy is putting up over 22 points a ballgame on 49/38/90 shooting splits. On a team where he has more offensive talent around him, especially when Deni Avdija and Jerami Grant are firing on all cylinders, Murphy could reach an even higher level, scoring-wise.

Considering that the Blazers still have a few leftover assets from the Bucks courtesy of the Damian Lillard trade, the Blazers have the assets as well to pull off such a trade. They can cobble together Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle’s expiring salaries or dangle Scoot Henderson as a young prospect who could convince the Pelicans to pull the trigger on a Murphy trade while adding multiple firsts in any trade package.

The Blazers have the 22nd ranked offense in the NBA, and bringing in Murphy would help address their biggest weakness.

2. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors are another team that’s been prominently mentioned in trade rumors for every potential star or fringe All-Star who is available on the market. They’ve reportedly kicked the tires on the idea of trading for Anthony Davis or Domantas Sabonis. They’ve also been linked to someone like Ja Morant.

Why not extend the search to someone like Murphy?

The Raptors already have a deep core on the wing, with Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barrett leading the way. But there’s always room for improvement. Murphy would be an upgrade over someone like Barrett, in particular. He’s a more efficient scorer who doesn’t need the ball much, freeing up more touches for Ingram, Barnes, and Immanuel Quickley, and having him as a threat on the perimeter would open up so much space for the team.

Murphy’s disruptiveness on the defensive end (1.6 steals per game this season) also makes him an incredible fit on a Raptors team that loves to force turnovers so that they could get out in transition.

1. Detroit Pistons

All reports point to the Pistons playing the long game, choosing the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs route of roster-building instead of pushing their chips to the center of the table more aggressively.

But the Pistons have to know that contending windows are not to be taken for granted. An injury (knock on wood) can set back a franchise for years. Detroit will also have to pay their key young guys in the near future.

Something has to give, and with the Pistons being set up to contend for the foreseeable future anyway behind their Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren-led core, now may be the time to swing that huge trade — especially with the title race being wide open.

The Thunder have been shaky as of late. The Spurs may need a year or two to prepare for some playoff bloodbaths. And every team in the Eastern Conference is looking up to them. Murphy could be the piece that takes the Pistons from merely good to championship-level great. They also have the assets to trade away to the Pelicans, making this the perfect destination for the burgeoning 25-year-old wing.

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