Dejounte Murray officially dropped the first trade request bomb of the 2026-27 NBA season, and honestly, can you even be surprised? The guy has had a *rough* ride with the New Orleans Pelicans ever since he landed there before the 2024-25 season. This season? It’s a complete mess, with the Pelicans sitting at a brutal 1-8 in the games he’s played. This isn’t just a player looking for a change of scenery, this is a full-blown organizational crisis bubbling over.
The Truth Behind Murray’s Pelicans Disaster
Remember, Murray was an All-Star in 2022. That feels like a lifetime ago considering his Pelicans tenure. His first season, 2024-25, he played just 31 games, shot worse than he ever had, and then tore his Achilles. Talk about a brutal welcome. He did come back strong late last season, playing well, which gave a glimmer of hope, but this current season has absolutely torpedoed any goodwill. The Pelicans have lost his minutes by over 14 points per 100 possessions, which is just an absurd number. His shooting has fallen off a cliff from basically everywhere on the floor, and he hasn’t been the consistently impactful defender we saw during his San Antonio Spurs days. His current stats of 13.4 points, 4.4 assists, 1.56 steals, and .889 threes per game are a far cry from what an All-Star usually puts up. It’s a disaster, plain and simple.
Murray’s Blistering Honesty and What It Means for a Trade
Murray hasn’t exactly been shy about his frustrations. Back in 2025, he ripped into the organization on The Pivot Podcast, saying, “I’m not getting what I need in the organization. It’s hard for me to get my training time. It’s hard for me to get lifts. It’s hard for me to get my own court time. So, you can only imagine where my mental was at.” Yikes. That’s a player who feels completely unsupported. He even had a since-deleted tweet where he told fans they had “no f— ing clue what we are dealing with” in response to Pro Pels Talk clips. The dude is not holding back. He even retweeted Shams Charania’s report about his trade request, which, let’s be real, is probably going to cost him a fine.
Given all this, his trade value is likely minimal. We’re talking “problem for problem” trades here, where a team is basically offloading another bloated, multi-year contract for a guy they’re eager to move. It’s going to be messy.
Phoenix Is Already Circling This Mess
So, who’s the first team to show known interest? None other than the Phoenix Suns, according to Chris Haynes. This isn’t surprising, as Haynes also reported earlier this season that the Suns’ locker room was frustrated over their lack of a true point guard. They started the season 1-5, but have somewhat righted the ship by winning four of their last five.
However, the Jalen Green experience for Phoenix has been a “borderline disaster.” Seriously, a disaster! The Suns have a staggering -15.7 net rating when Green is playing and a sweet +10.2 net rating when he sits. That’s a huge swing! Green was a major piece in the Kevin Durant trade, but his shooting has just fallen off a cliff. He’s not providing any of the playmaking Devin Booker needs in the backcourt, which is why Collin Gillespie has looked so much better when he’s on the floor instead. Plus, Green’s defense is “mostly nonexistent.” Both Murray and Green have player options next season, with Green set to make $36 million and Murray $30 million. The notoriously stingy Pelicans might insist on some form of co-.
This situation is about to get wild, with teams eyeing a “problem for problem” swap. Keep your eyes peeled for which organization decides to gamble on Murray’s talent in a new environment.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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