On a Friday night in mid-November, the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to face the Memphis Grizzlies without veteran guard Dejounte Murray, whose left ankle sprain has kept him off the floor. Yet the absence carries a second, quieter weight: according to ESPN's Shams Charania, Murray has asked to be traded, and the ordinary rhythm of injury and recovery may be giving way to the uncertain choreography of a franchise deciding whether to let a player go. It is a familiar turn in the long life of professional sports, where a body's limitations and a career's ambitions quietly pull in different direct
Dejounte Murray Requests Trade, Ruled Out Friday Against Memphis
Murray isn't expected to play for New Orleans again.
Mark
Why does a trade request matter more than an ankle sprain here?
Mimi
Because the sprain was the explanation, and now it might not be the whole one. He was doubtful, and now he's out, with a report that he wants to leave.
Luke
Careful, though. What's confirmed is that Charania reports a request. The idea that the ankle is cover for it is the fantasy writeup's inference.
Mark
And the timing?
Mimi
That's murky. The page mixes days and injury tags, so we can't say when the request happened.
Luke
Right. Anything about when it started is unknown.
Mark
What does it mean for Jeremiah Fears?
Mimi
He averaged 18.0 points, 9.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds across three games without Murray. That's a real sample.
Luke
Three games is small, though. And his numbers held up when Murray played, so the claim that Murray was capping him is a question, not a finding.
Mark
Where does Murray go?
Mimi
Nobody's said. The coverage only says there will likely be interest.
Luke
That's a forecast, not a report. No team or deal is named.
O Pulso
- A veteran guard has requested a trade, and a left ankle sprain has him sidelined for Friday's game against Memphis.
- The tags on the report conflict, leaving the timeline of the request unclear and the reason for his absence open to question.
- Jeremiah Fears steps toward the spotlight, having averaged 18 points and 9 assists in games Murray missed.
- With Trey Murphy and Yves Missi both out, the Pelicans are short-handed and searching for stability.
- The coming trade, and the team that receives Murray, will decide his value for the rest of the season.
On a Friday night in mid-November, the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to face the Memphis Grizzlies without veteran guard Dejounte Murray, whose left ankle sprain has kept him off the floor. Yet the absence carries a second, quieter weight: according to ESPN's Shams Charania, Murray has asked to be traded, and the ordinary rhythm of injury and recovery may be giving way to the uncertain choreography of a franchise deciding whether to let a player go. It is a familiar turn in the long life of professional sports, where a body's limitations and a career's ambitions quietly pull in different directions. The clearest beneficiary, for now, is second-year guard Jeremiah Fears, whose game is poised to widen as the roster around him thins.
On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans take the floor against Memphis without Dejounte Murray, and the reason may reach beyond his left ankle. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the veteran guard has requested a trade. Murray had been listed as doubtful with the sprain, which made his absence look routine. Charania's report changes how that tag reads, and the source material does not say exactly when the request was made.
The former Hawk and Spur is expected to draw league interest, and where he lands will shape his fantasy value for the rest of the season. Before this, he had been close to a top-50 player in nine-category formats.
The immediate beneficiary is Jeremiah Fears. In three earlier games without Murray, he averaged 18.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists. With Murray out again, Herb Jones is likely to stay with the first unit, and Fears will carry more of the scoring and playmaking load.
The Pelicans are thin on Friday. Trey Murphy and Yves Missi are both out, so Saddiq Bey, Karlo Matković and Jones should see more minutes. What comes next is whether New Orleans moves Murray, and to whom. A deal would give Fears more room to grow as a lead guard.
On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans will take the floor against the Memphis Grizzlies without Dejounte Murray, and the reason may go beyond his left ankle. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the veteran guard has requested a trade. He is out for the game.
Murray had been listed as doubtful with the ankle sprain, which made his absence the expected outcome. Charania's report changes how that tag reads. The fantasy coverage that carried the news says Murray's status may actually be tied to the trade request rather than the injury alone. It also says he isn't expected to play for New Orleans again. The source material doesn't pin down when the request was made, and the page's day references and injury tags don't line up cleanly.
The former Hawk and Spur is expected to draw interest around the league. Where he lands will determine his rest-of-season fantasy value. Before this, he had been close to a top-50 player in nine-category formats.
The immediate beneficiary is Jeremiah Fears, the second-year guard. In three earlier games with Murray sidelined, Fears averaged 18.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks. With Murray out, Herb Jones is likely to stay with the first unit, and Fears would carry more of the scoring, rebounding and playing-making load.
The Pelicans are also thin on Friday. Trey Murphy (knee) and Yves Missi (knee) are both out after being tagged doubtful on Thursday. Saddiq Bey, Karlo Matković and Herb Jones are expected to see more playing time.
Murray's season has been uneven in availability. He missed several games for personal reasons, and during that stretch Jones started in his place while Fears ran the offense as the lone point guard. Murray returned to the starting lineup for a game in which he played 44 minutes, led the team in minutes, and produced steals and free throws. Coach Jamahl Mosley had started Jones over him at the beginning of the season. In the two games Murray played after rejoining the team, against the Jazz and Timberwolves, Fears still totaled 43 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals on 15-of-32 shooting. He played 36 minutes to Murray's 35, so Murray's presence did not cut into his playing time.
Murray's last game, a Monday loss to the Warriors, was rough for New Orleans. The Pelicans played without Murphy and Zion Williamson, and Golden State hit 21 three-pointers. Murray shot a solid percentage and led the Pelicans' starters in scoring, but it wasn't enough.
What to watch now is whether the Pelicans move Murray, and to whom. A deal would open more room for Fears to grow as a lead guard, and Murray's new team would set his value for the rest of the season.
Citações Notáveis
Murray has requested a trade and is out for Friday's game against the Grizzlies.— ESPN's Shams Charania, as relayed by NBC Sports
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