New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III is going to let it fly

The New Orleans Pelicans have won their first three preseason games and looked impressive doing it, getting contributions from just about everyone.

They haven’t even had their whole team yet, as Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum have yet to play, but the Pels have played fast and scored in bunches with Zion Williamson as the main threat.

They’ve been very good at the rim, but to fully unlock the offense, the Pels need a consistent 3-point threat, especially off the bench.

That guy could be Trey Murphy III, who lit up the Spurs for seven 3-pointers, scoring 27 points in his second game of the preseason and his first in the starting lineup.

This wasn’t an accident, as coach Willie Green wants Trey Murphy III to let it fly whenever he gets a chance, and he should get plenty this season for the New Orleans Pelicans.

New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III being aggressive

After the win over the Pistons, coach Willie Green encouraged Trey Murphy III to shoot more and to let it fly whenever he got the chance.

TMIII took that to heart and launched 10 from 3-point range in the next game, something we are going to see plenty of this season as defenses double team Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, leaving Murphy III alone on the perimeter.

Murphy III knows this and said as much after the win over the Spurs:

"“The defense will have to choose between stopping the drives or going out on me to avoid the outside shot. They won’t be able to stop both.”"

Coach Green wants TMIII to be ready to take advantage and make teams pay when they try to clog the paint in an effort to stop Zion.

Zion had a couple of really nice passes to Murphy III, one for a wide-open 3-point shot off of a double team and one on a back cut when Murphy’s man went over to help on Zion.

The New Orleans Pelicans were not a prolific 3-point shooting team last season, but we may see more of them this year, as guys like CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III and Brandon Ingram take advantage of the gravity Zion creates.

When Murphy III comes into the game, especially when playing with Zion, he is going to come in firing, forcing defenses to play it straight up or pay.

Zion and the shooters will have a symbiotic relationship that will help the New Orleans Pelicans reach their full potential on offense.