‘I don’t lack confidence;’ Dejounte Murray ready to be Pelicans’ floor general

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Last season the Pelicans ranked in the bottom five teams in the NBA in clutch offense and struggled to close out games decided by fourth-quarter execution.

The Pelicans have addressed their biggest issue by landing NBA All-Star Dejounte Murray in a blockbuster trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

The team introduced Murray as their newest roster addition in a press conference on Tuesday (July 9).

“I don’t lack confidence,” Murray told reporters when asked about his willingness to lead the team alongside franchise star Zion Williamson and others.

The Pelicans ranked in the bottom five teams in clutch offense last season. Last season with Atlanta, Murray was the ninth-best player in the NBA in clutch points with 106. He also had the fifth most buzzer-beating buckets in the league with 40.

Pelicans executive David Griffin called Murray a “bonafide closer”.

The Pelicans hope the roster shakeup can transform the squad from a decent regular-season team to a postseason threat in the Western Conference.

To acquire Murray, the Pelicans sent forward Larry Nance Jr., guard Dyson Daniels, and two future first-round picks to Atlanta.

Murray, a 6′5 guard, averaged a career-high 22.5 points last season. He also averaged 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds. He made a career-high 201 three-pointers in 2023-2024. He also gives Williamson a true running mate from the backcourt and the two can compliment their counterpart’s on and off-ball skillsets.

Murray will add to the defensive versatility of the Pelicans as well. He earned NBA All-Defense Second Team honors in 2018. He spoke of First-Team All-Defense swingman Herb Jones gifting him his No. 5 jersey number and having a goal of boosting an already solid defensive starting lineup.

Jones will wear No. 2 this season after giving his number to Murray.

In a show of confidence, Williamson attended Murray’s presser, welcoming the All-Star guard with open arms, and seated next to owner Gayle Benson.

The biggest question that remains this offseason is whether or not forward Brandon Ingram will be traded out of New Orleans as the team still needs to add a center to the starting five after the departure of Jonas Valanciunas.

During the presser, Griffin still spoke of Ingram as if the forward is in the plans. Murray echoed those sentiments by saying that he was in communication often with Ingram before and after the trade.

Nance Jr., who is headed to the Hawks, was the Pelicans’ backup center last season. He averaged 5.7 points and 5 rebounds last season, playing an average of 20 minutes per game. Daniels, also sent to Atlanta in the trade, was drafted by the Pelicans at 8th overall in 2022.

So far this offseason, the Pelicans have drafted 7-foot center Yves Missi out of Baylor at 21st overall and Kentucky sharpshooter Antonio Reeves in the second round. They also signed veteran center Daniel Theis.

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