Dejounte Murray’s representatives have formally requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, the team confirmed Friday. Murray, a 30-year-old All-Star guard, was ruled out of Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a left ankle sprain.
Pelicans respond to trade request The Pelicans stated they would evaluate potential trade opportunities in the best interest of the organization. “Today, Dejounte Murray’s representatives informed us of his request to be traded,” the team said in a statement. “We will evaluate potential trade opportunities that are in the best interest of our organization.”
Murray’s tenure with the Pelicans has been marked by injuries and inconsistent performance. He suffered a broken hand in the 2024 season opener and a season-ending Achilles injury in January 2025. Over the last three seasons with New Orleans, Murray has played just 54 games, averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. The Pelicans have a 1-8 record in games Murray has appeared in this season.
Murray’s social media posts and public frustration Murray publicly aired frustrations following a recent blowout loss to the Brooklyn Nets, posting and deleting a series of profane responses on social media. In one deleted post, he wrote, “Ohhhhh let’s talk about it. When you run post plays, are they suppose to catch on the block or the 3pt line? Let’s hear it Mr social media coach, Gm and President? You have no [expletive] clue what we dealing with.” He later added, “Maybe you should ask the whole team individually how they feel on a serious note and then pull rethink a lot of [expletive].”
Murray also referenced the Pelicans’ 1-8 record with him on the court, stating, “From what’s going on INSIDE, this sounds like someone hit you to say this!! THE ‘SABOTAGE’ IS REAL!!” His current season averages stand at 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
Background on Murray’s acquisition and role The Pelicans acquired Murray in a June 2024 trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sending two first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and E.J. Liddell to Atlanta. At the time, Murray was viewed as a defender and playmaker who could complement Zion Williamson, though his play had not matched his 2022 All-Star form.
Murray’s $32.8 million salary this season includes a player option for $30.8 million next season. His representatives at Klutch Sports, led by CEO Rich Paul, are reportedly working with the Pelicans to resolve the trade request.