Pelicans Said to Be Open to Deals for Trey Murphy as Trail Blazers Loom as Possible Suitor

As the NBA trade season nears, Trey Murphy may finally be available. For much of the year, the New Orleans wing had been viewed as the ideal partner for Deni Avdija, but reporter Marc Stein said overnight that the Pelicans are now willing to listen to trade offers for him.

New Orleans had previously ruled out trading Murphy in principle. According to Stein, the team is now open to discussions, but it is expected to demand "a lot" in return. In one possible scenario, Portland’s draft picks that are currently in Milwaukee’s possession could be part of the deal.

At this stage, the Trail Blazers are focused on two other priorities, their desperate pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo and hiring a head coach. Even so, Portland remains one of the teams linked to Murphy, alongside Detroit and Indiana. Detroit finished first in the East this season, while Indiana reached the 2024/25 Finals.

Murphy, 25, is under contract through 2028/29. This season he averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting 47% from the field and 37.9% from three on 8.6 attempts per game.