With their team sitting at 20-53 in 14th place in the Western Conference standings, there hasn't been much for the New Orleans Pelicans faithful to cheer about this season. Not only are they among the bottom-dwellers in the NBA this year, but it appears that they've fully leaned into the tank now and are slated to shut down their top veterans like Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum for the remainder of the campaign.
That leaves the Pelicans' loyal followers with practically nothing to celebrate. That is, at least until the NBA Draft lottery, when New Orleans and their fans will find out if their miserable season will pay off in the form of a prized pick.
Whether they land Cooper Flagg, Duke teammates Khaman Maluach, Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, or someone else, though, New Orleans will still have good moments worth appreciating from earlier this season, regardless. Zion might wind up ending his year "injured" with a lower back bruise, but that shouldn't erase the incredible campaign he's put together — arguably the best basketball of his career thus far. Trey Murphy III might not be eligible for the Most Improved Player award, but the massive strides he took in his game this season shouldn't be forgotten, nor should his play between January 28 and February 4 — a stretch that I'm officially dubbing "The Week of Trey Murphy III."
Remembering The Week of Trey Murphy III in the New Orleans Pelicans 2024-25 NBA season
The 2024-25 season began tumultuously for Trey Murphy III. There was a palpable buzz among the Pelicans in the offseason, after getting 70 regular-season games out of Zion the year prior and trading for Dejounte Murray. New Orleans legitimately believed they had a chance to be dark-horse contenders this season. That belief started to fade as soon as TMIII went down with a strained hamstring to begin training camp. From there, it was all downhill.
By the time he came back, New Orleans was already 3-7, and Zion, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Herb Jones had all joined him on the injury report. To make matters worse, Murphy III struggled pretty heavily upon his return, understandably considering that he didn't have training camp or preseason to help him ramp up. Despite the severely bleak nature of the early season, Trigga Trey didn't let it dampen his spirits.
He found his rhythm before long and stepped up amid all of the Pelicans' absences. By late January, it was clear that Murphy III had made some major improvements in his game. He looked drastically more confident with the ball in his hands, showing comfort scoring off of the dribble, slashing to the rim or pulling up for a picturesque jumper. The numbers reflected his newfound abilities, too. Through January 28, he had averaged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 stocks per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from deep.
He had clearly taken his game up a level, but there was still some tentativeness regarding his play. At that point, it may have just been a result of circumstance. After all, someone had to score the ball with all of the Pelicans' injuries, and it's not like New Orleans was winning its games. By the next week, all doubt was removed. Trey Murphy III was a star in the making.
On January 29, the Pelicans hosted the Dallas Mavericks in one of the best games that the Smoothie King Center saw all year. It was a breakneck firefight that saw Zion, CJ, and Dejounte combine for 79 points against Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and Daniel Gafford's 92. Trey Murphy III led both teams with 32 on a pristine 13-17 shooting, including 5-9 from 3-point land. He also chipped in six rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Despite his incredible individual effort, New Orleans fell just short, 136-137.
Two days later, the Pelicans hosted the reigning champion Boston Celtics on New Year's Eve. Zion was out, and Dejounte went down with his Achilles rupture just eight minutes into the game. It would've been understandable for New Orleans to phone it in at that point, but Trey Murphy III had other plans. He outdueled both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and nearly lifted the Pelicans to a holiday upset over the Cs. They ended up losing on a game-winner from Tatum, but TMIII was by far the best player on the floor that night. He finished with 40 points on a 15-20 showing, including 8-12 on treys. He also added five boards, four dimes, and a theft.
The Pelicans got two days off after that before taking on the Denver Nuggets on the road. Whether it was the high altitude or the layoff, Zion had one of his worse games of the season that night, with just 14 points on 5-13 from the field. New Orleans ended up losing by double digits, 113-125. The only reason it was remotely close was Trey Murphy III, who continued his hot streak by tying his career-high 41 points. He did so on a cool 13-21 shooting, going 8-12 from beyond the arc for the second game in a row. If that wasn't enough, he also had three rebounds, three assists, and three stocks. '
For the week, he had averaged 37.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, slashing 71/64/91. That three-game stretch cemented his status as New Orleans's second star, and Brandon Ingram was traded away the very next day. Hopefully, he'll have many more stretches like this soon. But until then, we need to commemorate The Week of Trey Murphy III.