NBA Insider reveals Dejounte Murray’s return date for Pelicans following injury setback
In his first game with his new team, Dejounte Murray was forced to be sidelined with a fractured hand. On Monday afternoon, one NBA insider revealed when the former All-Star plans to make his return to action.
Chris Haynes reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Murray intends to suit up against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. It will be his first taste of live action since playing 30 minutes on opening night against the Chicago Bulls.
Over the summer, the New Orleans Pelicans acquired Dejounte Murray in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. Before getting injured, he looked like he was going to be a big upgrade for his new team. In his debut with the Pelicans, Murray recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and one steal.
Getting Murray back will be a huge lift for the Pelicans, as they've dealt with a litany of injuries to open the season. They were viewed as one of the deeper teams to start the year but quickly found themselves vastly shorthanded.
With Murray, Zion Williamson and others out, the Pelicans have struggled to stay afloat. They are in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-13 record. Getting Murray back should provide a lift as they slowly attempt to climb the standings.
The New Orleans Pelicans wanted to keep breakout guard out of Dejounte Murray trade
While the Pelicans still got the best player in the trade, there has been one key storyline from the Dejounte Murray trade. That being the emergence of Dyson Daniels for the Atlanta Hawks.
Daniels was a top-10 pick for the Pelicans back in 2022 but didn't play much over his first two years. However, upon getting a bigger role in Atlanta, he has become arguably one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA. Along with averaging 14.2 points, he is leading the league with 3.2 steals per game.
According to recent developments, it appears the Pelicans were aware of what they had in Daniels. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that they didn't want to include him in the Dejounte Murray trade, but were left with minimal options. With wings like Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones ahead of Daniels on the depth chart, the 21-year-old was the most expendable.
Daniels' play as of late might sting for the Pelicans, especially given their injury woes. However, getting Murray back after a month should result in a change of heart.
Murray is a constant triple-double threat and an above-average defender in his own right. Even with Daniels looking as good as he is, Murray still gives the Pelicans the best chance to compete in a stacked Western Conference.