Lower than 24 hours after the New Orleans Pelicans had been eradicated from the 2024 playoffs, one query made Brandon Ingram pause longer than common.
He was requested if New Orleans ought to goal a conventional level guard through the offseason. After staring on the flooring for just a few seconds, he gave a quick reply:
“It could undoubtedly be useful,” Ingram mentioned, nodding.
Maybe Ingram, whereas additionally dwelling on his workforce’s first-round sweep to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, was contemplating the chance that pursuing a conventional level guard may spell the tip of his time in New Orleans. Since that day, a lot of the hypothesis across the Pelicans has been centered on Ingram’s future and whether or not the Pelicans had any likelihood of buying and selling him for a game-changing level guard to pair with Zion Williamson.
On Friday, simply earlier than the beginning of free company, the Pelicans made their transfer for the ground normal they’ve needed so as to add for a while. They’ve acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks in alternate for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., EJ Liddell and two first-round picks, a number of league sources verify to The Athletic.
After making the All-Star workforce with San Antonio in 2022, Murray, 27, has spent the final two seasons in Atlanta, the place he’s put up a few of the finest numbers of his profession. Nevertheless, his pairing with Atlanta star Trae Younger, one of many extra ball-dominant level guards within the NBA, by no means labored as seamlessly because the Hawks hoped. After ending 10 video games beneath .500 final season, it appeared a foregone conclusion that at the very least one would leaving Atlanta this offseason.
As the most recent member of the Pelicans, Murray can once more function as a full-time lead ballhandler on a roster loaded with scoring choices on the perimeter. Murray averaged a career-high 22.5 factors final season, together with 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists. He additionally made a career-high 201 3-pointers, which can be an important a part of him becoming subsequent to Zion Williamson for the foreseeable future. Murray has been a below-average exterior shooter for a lot of his profession, however he made 39.2 % of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers final season and he’s progressively improved that aspect of his recreation over time.
Contemplating how effectively he’s performed when Younger was out of the lineup and the truth that he’s beneath contract for at the very least the following three seasons at $82.6 million, Murray’s acquisition may find yourself being a steal for the Pelicans. They one way or the other managed to drag the deal off with out together with Ingram.
However that hardly means Ingram’s future with the workforce is safe. The large query within the wake of this Murray commerce is what comes subsequent.
In his end-of-season press convention, Pelicans govt vp of basketball operations David Griffin mentioned there wanted to be modifications to make sure New Orleans can sustain with the lengthy record of playoff contenders within the West
“Previously, we’ve at all times erred on the aspect of continuity, and our takeaway has been, ‘Let’s see this group wholesome.’ I feel we’ve seen it sufficient,” he mentioned in April. “I wish to be actually, actually clear: This isn’t going to be a summer season of complacency. It’s time to get higher.”
Buying and selling for Murray is an indication Griffin is backing up these phrases. Only a few groups across the NBA can match the scale and pace of a roster that, for now, options Murray, Williamson, Ingram, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy.
As engaging as that blend could also be, the roster is unbalanced and the workforce’s lack of frontcourt depth after this deal jumps off the web page. The one true heart left on the roster is Yves Messi, a 19-year-old they drafted Wednesday. Jonas Valančiūnas and Cody Zeller are set to hit unrestricted free company this summer season, and Nance is headed to Atlanta. There could also be a world the place the Pelicans fill their frontcourt gap with just a few low cost choices by way of the non-taxpayer midlevel exception or different small trades.
However this Murray deal makes it the likelier subsequent path clear: The Pelicans should discover their new beginning heart by buying and selling Ingram or McCollum. And Ingram is the a lot likelier candidate, contemplating he’s within the final 12 months of his contract and has extra commerce worth than McCollum.
Ingram is eligible for a brand new deal, however the Pelicans have proven little curiosity in giving him a most contract extension, league sources inform The Athletic. Griffin not too long ago made it sound like he was open to signing Ingram.
“Brandon desires to remain right here. He believes in what we’re constructing. That’s significant to us,” Griffin mentioned on Wednesday night time. “On the similar time, there’s a monetary actuality that all of us cope with. I feel we’re enthusiastic about Brandon. We all know he’s enthusiastic about us. Normally, these issues yield good outcomes come what may.”
The truth is that discovering the suitable method to divvy up minutes between Ingram, McCollum, Jones and Murphy was troublesome sufficient, and including Murray to that group virtually ensures that at the very least a kind of gamers will see considerably much less time on the court docket than they deserve. That’s earlier than contemplating the problems of paying McCollum and/or Murphy (a 12 months from now) an exorbitant sum of money to come back off the bench.
With Atlanta off the record of potential Ingram suitors, are there nonetheless groups occupied with him with the suitable belongings to get a deal completed? The Murray commerce ought to at the very least give the Pelicans sufficient confidence to prioritize a middle when making an enormous swing. Earlier than, different deal proposals had been sophisticated by the Pelicans’ want so as to add a fringe participant and a beginning heart. Now, at the very least, the Pelicans have plugged a kind of holes.
Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen stays on the high of the candidate record. The Pelicans have proven curiosity in him for years, and preserving Darius Garland out of potential proposals ought to make it simpler for either side to seek out frequent floor. Nevertheless, Cleveland might not be occupied with giving Ingram the profitable extension he’s looking for, in response to league sources.
Portland’s Deandre Ayton is one other fascinating choice after the Blazers chosen UConn heart Donovan Clingan within the first spherical of Wednesday’s draft. Nevertheless, it’s arduous to see the Blazers wanting Ingram or McCollum, so a 3rd workforce must become involved to provide the Blazers with younger items so as to add their rebuilding roster. Maybe Philadelphia, who might want Ingram if it can’t land one other star, can facilitate a three-team deal.
One different thought is a deal centered round Ingram for Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. This is able to add versatility and depth on the heart place for New Orleans and Lopez is on an expiring contract. However, once more, would Milwaukee wish to signal Ingram to a brand new deal?
The Pelicans may additionally search for a youthful choice on the 5 to assist with their wage cap scenario and provides them a long-term reply on the place. Detroit’s Jalen Duren is an intriguing choice; former Pelicans normal supervisor Trajan Langdon is the brand new lead govt for the Pistons and has fashioned a robust bond with Ingram over time. The Pistons may simply take in Ingram’s contract into their wage cap area and immediately change into extra aggressive, whereas Duren and Zion would kind one of many extra bodily imposing frontcourts within the league.
Utah’s Walker Kessler is one other identify to regulate. He gives the elite rim safety the Pels have been desperately looking for, and this may very well be an excellent time to go after him when his worth seems to be down.
One different wild card identify to contemplate is Knicks heart Mitchell Robinson, who has been concerned in commerce rumors with New York hoping to clear sufficient wage to re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein this summer season. Robinson has harm points, and he could not wish to return to New Orleans, the place he performed highschool basketball. However he’s attributable to make $27 million over the following two seasons and is an elite defender when wholesome.
Finally, Griffin’s roster transformation is off to an excellent begin with the Murray commerce, however is way from full. Making the suitable transfer to show Ingram or McCollum into a high quality beginning heart may push New Orleans into a distinct tier of contenders within the West, however it received’t be simple with so many different shifting components across the league dictating who can be obtainable.
Aggression is essential at the moment of 12 months. Persistence is as effectively.
A couple of different ideas on Murray’s slot in New Orleans:
Managing Murray’s match subsequent to CJ McCollum can be important to creating this deal work for New Orleans. Final season, McCollum made a concerted effort to change into extra of an off-ball menace to permit Williamson and Ingram to deal with extra of the shot-creation tasks. McCollum made a franchise-record 239 3-pointers regardless of solely taking part in 66 video games.
The true query can be how efficient the Pelicans might be on protection when Murray and McCollum are on the ground collectively. Regardless of a few of his bodily attributes, Murray’s defensive influence dropped off significantly throughout his two seasons in Atlanta. There are individuals inside the Pelicans entrance workplace who consider shifting Murray to a scenario the place he’s not required to be a 20-point scorer each night time will enable him to enhance his all-around recreation.
Murray’s specialty on protection is creating turnovers by taking part in in passing lanes, which inserts straight into the Pelicans’ identification on that finish. During the last three seasons, Murray leads the NBA with 361 steals. Jones is second on that record with 338 steals.
If Murray can reclaim a few of the focus and physicality he introduced on protection up to now, this may be probably the greatest defensive models within the league once more, even after dropping two of their most disruptive items in Daniels and Nance.
A part of the Pelicans’ motivation in making this deal was undoubtedly their late-game collapses that value them so typically final season. New Orleans was 14-15 in video games that had been determined by 5 factors or fewer within the remaining 5 minutes of the fourth quarter. Throughout “clutch” conditions, the Pelicans had been twenty sixth in offensive ranking and twenty eighth in turnover share.
They desperately wanted somebody to prepare the offense and assist them get good photographs when the sport slowed down.
Despite the fact that he could not have a status among the many nationwide viewers as a big-shot maker, Murray has been probably the most productive “clutch” performers within the league for years. He’s the one participant within the NBA that’s completed top-15 in “clutch” factors every of the previous 4 seasons.
This commerce was a direct try to handle that main flaw on this group. With the Western Convention being so ultra-competitive from high to backside, a substantial enchancment on this space may very well be the distinction between preventing for home-court benefit or a Play-In spot.
Murray’s sturdiness is a vital a part of this deal that may’t be neglected. Throughout his two seasons in Atlanta, Murray missed a complete of 12 video games. With all of the harm points which have derailed the Pelicans workforce through the Zion period, realizing that Murray generally is a dependable piece that stays on the court docket solely provides to his worth.
(High picture: Larry Robinson / USA Right now)