Pelicans: Trey Murphy III’s long shot Rookie of the Year odds are enticing

The New Orleans Pelicans might have found a steal when they drafted Trey Murphy III with the 17th pick.

It’s only Summer League of course, but Murphy III has looked like a guy who will make an immediate impact for the Pelicans on both sides of the court.

He defended well against bigger guys like Evan Mobley and showed a nice touch on his 3-point shot even though he shot it inconsistently.

But does he have a shot at Rookie of the Year? It’s a long one, but might make for a great bet if you are into that sort of thing and it is legal where you live.

New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III’s Rookie of the Year odds

According to WynnBet, Trey Murphy has the lowest odds to win Rookie of the Year of any of the players they have listed.

He is a long shot +7500, which means the books think it is very unlikely to happen. But things change quickly in the betting world and I think this could end up looking like a great value bet a few weeks into the season.

Cade Cunningham is the favorite to win at +210 and Jalen Green comes in next with +240 odds to take home the award.

With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram doing most of the ball handling and scoring, it’s understandable why Murphy III would be a long shot, but he has some things going in his favor.

Trey Murphy III will have some big games for the New Orleans Pelicans

Murphy III is not going to have as big a role on the Pelicans that some other rookies will have, as the Pels are trying to make the playoffs and already have some very good guys.

But I think he’ll have some monster games this season simply because he is a great 3-point shooter and he’s going to get a ton of open looks playing with Zion Williamson.

I could see Murphy III coming off the bench to start the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he works his way into the starting lineup, which could lead to a lot of big games if he can knock down a high percentage of his 3-point shots.

I could see him eventually evolving into the Pelicans’ third scoring option as he’s going to get a lot of clean looks with Zion and B.I. drawing all the attention.

Murphy III is also going to play in a lot of small ball lineups that will give him a chance to showcase his defense which will also help his case for Rookie of the Year, as he can defend multiple positions.

It’s a long shot for a reason and I definitely wouldn’t put much on it, but those odds will change quickly once the season starts and Trey Murphy III might surprise some people.