On a Friday in mid-November, the New Orleans Pelicans confirmed what had first been whispered: point guard Dejounte Murray has asked to be traded, and the team will weigh its options in its own interest. It is one more chapter in a familiar story of a player whose hopes for a place in the game have collided with a team's losing season, a fall in form, and the quiet arithmetic of salary and need. Phoenix, Miami and Milwaukee each show signs of wanting a floor general, and so the question now is less whether Murray leaves New Orleans than where his next chapter will be written.
Pelicans Confirm Dejounte Murray Has Requested a Trade as Suns, Heat and Bucks Emerge as Suitors
Murray was ruled out of the Pelicans' NBA Cup game against Memphis
Mark
So the Pelicans have confirmed it. Why does that matter beyond the report itself?
Mimi
Because a team statement changes the footing. They said they'll evaluate trades that serve the organization, so they're open to moving him, and Rich Paul is already working with them.
Luke
Worth noting, though, that confirming a request is not confirming a deal or even a price. Everything about destinations is reported interest, not negotiation we can see.
Mark
Phoenix keeps coming up. What's the connection?
Mimi
Sam Amick reported that other teams think the Suns are motivated to move Jalen Green for a proven point guard, and that Murray's request could reopen talks with New Orleans.
Luke
That's rival clubs' perception plus one reporter's read. Haynes says Phoenix registered interest, which is softer than an offer.
Mark
And the performance drop? Does it explain the request?
Mimi
It sits alongside it. He went from 17.8 points in four October games to 10.0 over his last five, and he'd also made public comments about not expecting to play in New Orleans.
Luke
Those are context, not a stated reason. We don't have Murray's own explanation for the request.
Mark
What about Miami and Milwaukee?
Mimi
Both have backcourt questions. Miami could shift Mitchell and Thompson's roles, and Milwaukee's rookie Brayden Burries has struggled.
Luke
Those are fit arguments from the writer, not reports of active pursuit. And the cap details Marks explained aren't in what we have, so how a deal works financially is still unknown.
Der Puls
- The Pelicans have confirmed Murray's trade request and ruled him out of the Friday NBA Cup game against Memphis, turning rumor into official fact.
- Murray's production has fallen sharply, from 17.8 points a game in October to just 10.0 over his last five outings.
- Murray publicly pushed back against fans blaming him for the team's struggles, and the tension between him and the organization is now out in the open.
- Phoenix has registered interest and could offer Jalen Green in return, while Miami and Milwaukee are also searching for backcourt help.
- With Rich Paul working alongside team officials, talks could move quickly, and the next few days will show whether a deal takes shape.
On a Friday in mid-November, the New Orleans Pelicans confirmed what had first been whispered: point guard Dejounte Murray has asked to be traded, and the team will weigh its options in its own interest. It is one more chapter in a familiar story of a player whose hopes for a place in the game have collided with a team's losing season, a fall in form, and the quiet arithmetic of salary and need. Phoenix, Miami and Milwaukee each show signs of wanting a floor general, and so the question now is less whether Murray leaves New Orleans than where his next chapter will be written.
On Friday, the Pelicans released a statement confirming that Dejounte Murray has asked to be traded. The team said it would evaluate options that serve its organization's best interest. Hours later, Murray was ruled out of the NBA Cup game against the Memphis Grizzlies. ESPN's Shams Charania broke the news first, and Murray's agent, Rich Paul, is working with the front office toward a resolution.
The request did not come from nowhere. Murray had defended himself on social media against fans who blamed him for the team's losses, posts he has since deleted. He had also spoken openly about never expecting to play in New Orleans, and about the long recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in 2025. On the court, his start to the season was bright, with nearly 18 points a game in October. Over his last five games, that dropped to 10 points, and he failed to reach double figures in three of them.
Still, teams see something in him. Phoenix has shown interest, and The Athletic reported that the Suns are eager to move Jalen Green for a proven point guard. Miami and Milwaukee are also looking for backcourt help. In Miami, Murray could give Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo a setup man. In Milwaukee, a rookie is struggling to settle in next to Tyler Herro. The next thing to watch is whether Phoenix and New Orleans revive their talks, and whether another suitor steps in.
On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans put out a statement confirming that point guard Dejounte Murray has asked to be traded. The team said it "will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization." The same day, Murray was ruled out of the Pelicans' NBA Cup game against the Memphis Grizzlies, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
ESPN's Shams Charania was first to report the request. He added that Murray's agent, Rich Paul, is working with team officials toward a resolution. The Pelicans' confirmation came after the report, and it makes the situation official rather than rumored.
Interest has already surfaced. Chris Haynes reported that the Phoenix Suns "have registered interest" in Murray, and the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks have been named as other possible landing spots. ESPN's Bobby Marks laid out the salary cap implications of a Murray trade for New Orleans, though the details of his breakdown were not included in the material available here.
Phoenix may be the most developed of the possibilities. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported earlier Friday that opposing clubs believe the Suns are "motivated" to trade shooting guard Jalen Green in exchange for a proven point guard. Amick later added that Murray's request could reignite trade talks between Phoenix and New Orleans. If a deal came together, Green would be a young player of interest to the Pelicans.
The request did not come out of nowhere. Murray had recently defended himself in social media posts, since deleted, against fans who blamed him for the team's struggles. On The Pivot last year, he said he "never" thought he would play in New Orleans, and he described his recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in 2025 as his "worst experience in the NBA."
His play has also slipped. Murray opened the season with averages of 17.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists across four October games. Over his last five games, he has averaged 10.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists, and he has failed to reach 10 points in three of them.
Still, the case for him as a floor general in the right setting holds up, and the possible suitors are all looking for backcourt answers. In Miami, Murray would give Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo another setup man. That would relieve Davion Mitchell of ball-handling duties and move veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson from the starting lineup to a sixth-man role. In Milwaukee, the team recently benched Ryan Rollins to start rookie Brayden Burries next to Tyler Herro, but Burries has struggled to find his footing.
With the request confirmed and Phoenix reportedly interested, the next thing to watch is whether the Suns and Pelicans revive their talks, and whether Miami or Milwaukee make a move of their own.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The organization will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization.— New Orleans Pelicans statement
The Phoenix Suns have registered interest in Murray.— Chris Haynes, NBA insider
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