Dejounte Murray Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Morant, Murray, Eason, Rockets

January 17th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who was ruled out for the team’s game in San Antonio on Friday night due to right foot soreness, is no longer eligible for major award consideration this season, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Morant has averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per contest this season for the Grizzlies, who rank third in the Western Conference standings, but Friday’s game will be the 18th he has missed this season. That means he’ll fall short of the 65-game threshold required to qualify for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA.

Morant made the All-NBA Second Team in 2022, but a suspension related to his off-court behavior derailed his chances of repeating the feat in 2023, and he appeared in just nine games last season due to a second suspension and a season-ending shoulder injury.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Dejounte Murray‘s 30-point performance on Wednesday in a victory over Dallas was a reminder of why the Pelicans targeted him and gave up a pair of first-round picks – along with former lottery selection Dyson Daniels and rotation big man Larry Nance Jr. – to acquire him last offseason, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. It has been a challenging year so far for Murray, one of many key Pelicans players who has missed time due to an injury — he broke his hand on opening night and the team was 4-14 by the time he returned. “I’m trying to get my fun back,” Murray said. “It’s nothing with the team. Just dealing with a lot. It’s been tough for me. I’m a strong person, but at the same time I’m human. I think sometimes I can forget that.”
Although they didn’t get the win, the Rockets got a boost on Thursday as forward Tari Eason played for the first time in over a month after missing 13 games due to a lower left leg injury, notes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). Eason was on a minutes restriction of 20-to-25 minutes, per head coach Ime Udoka. He ended up playing 24 minutes and didn’t miss a beat in his return, scoring 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
Kelly Iko and John Hollinger of The Athletic explore some possible trade options for the Rockets, discussing why Jimmy Butler probably doesn’t make sense for Houston and considering whether De’Aaron Fox would be a fit if Sacramento made him available. While a significant in-season move seems unlikely, Hollinger points to Malcolm Brogdon or Chris Boucher as players on expiring deals who might make some sense as deadline targets for the Rockets.

Southwest Notes: Zion, Murphy, Tate, Jackson, Williams

January 11th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans sent a message to Zion Williamson by making his one-game suspension public, writes Rod Walker of NOLA. Walker explains that the team could have opted to simply keep Williamson on the bench for another night, just as it did for Wednesday’s game, without providing an explanation.

Instead, Williamson was suspended for Friday’s contest at Philadelphia, reportedly after showing up late for Thursday’s flight. There have also been reports of other violations, such as being late for multiple practices.

“There were several occasions that led up to this,” coach Willie Green confirmed. “That’s how we got to this decision.”

Walker adds that New Orleans needs a strong second half of the season from Williamson, who provided hope with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 28 minutes as he returned Tuesday following a lengthy absence. Williamson seemed to be in excellent physical condition, which Walker notes has often been an issue during his six NBA seasons.

“The focus I had during this rehab was a bit more extreme,” Williamson said. “That’s why my legs are already under me. I feel like I didn’t miss a beat, but gained a beat. Now I don’t have to worry about trying to find a rhythm. … Just learning more and more about my body and how my body reacts to certain things.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

After missing the past three games with a sprained left ankle, Trey Murphy is expected to play Sunday at Boston (Twitter link from the Pelicans). Assuming they’re all active, it will be the first game for Murphy, Williamson and Dejounte Murray together as teammates, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. Murray is listed as questionable due to right elbow tendonitis and a right shin contusion.
Injuries to Jabari Smith and Tari Eason have opened up rotation minutes over the past two weeks for veteran forward Jae’Sean Tate, per Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Tate, who has been with the Rockets since the start of their rebuild, enables the team to keep a strong defensive lineup on the court at all times. “It’s definitely always fun to play, but at the end of the day, we want to win as many games as we can,” he said. “We are dealing with a couple injuries right now, and we just have to have that next man up (mentality) until we get our guys back. So until that happens, I’m ready, and we’ll see what happens.”
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said at today’s pregame session with reporters that he’s hoping to have both GG Jackson and Vince Williams back before the end of the month (Twitter video link from Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com). Jackson hasn’t played this season as he recovers from foot surgery, while Williams has been out with a sprained right ankle since mid-November.

Southwest Notes: Sheppard, Adams, Williamson, Murray, Grimes

January 6th, 2025 at 5:39pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Reed Sheppard was touted as a strong Rookie of the Year candidate after the Rockets selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in last June’s draft. However, Sheppard has found it difficult to get into an offensive groove, averaging just 3.3 points and 1.2 assists in 11.6 minutes off the bench during his first 30 games. Now, Houston has assigned Sheppard to its NBA G League club, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the G League team tweets.

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After missing all of last season due to right knee surgery, Rockets center Steven Adams says his knee is “back to normal,” Ben Dubose of Rockets Wire relays. Adams has been playing limited minutes but racked up eight points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes against the Lakers on Sunday. “It’s back to normal,” he said. “It’s been progressing more and more. We’ve been keeping an eye on it, and my comfort with the team has just been progressing, as we planned.”
Zion Williamson is getting close to returning to action. Williamson participated in the Pelicans’ 5-on-5 practice on Monday and coach Willie Green stated “there’s a chance” he could suit up sometime this week, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets. Williamson, who hasn’t played since Nov. 6 due to a left hamstring strain, is listed as questionable to play against Minnesota on Tuesday, according to the team’s injury report.
The Pelicans have posted back-to-back victories for the first time since the first two games of the season. They snapped a 15-game road losing streak on Sunday, beating the Wizards in Washington after beating them at home on Friday. Dejounte Murray notched his first triple-double since New Orleans acquired him in the offseason. “He’s keeping the game simple and making solid decisions and he’ll continue to build from there,” Green told Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
In the short run, Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes has been thrust into the role of primary play-maker with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving sidelined by injuries. It’s an opportunity to prove Dallas can rely on him to provide offense as the team’s third play-maker, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. “Big opportunity for me, for sure, knowing we’re not gonna have Luka for a while, and then Kyrie was out,” said Grimes, who delivered a season-high 26 points and six assists against Cleveland on Friday.

Trade Rumors: Butler, C. Johnson, Nets, Grizzlies, Pelicans

January 3rd, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The rest of the NBA is watching the standoff between the Heat and Jimmy Butler with “their popcorn out,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link), who notes that team president Pat Riley doesn’t make a habit of deferring to his star players, operating with a “bluntness and strength” that’s somewhat atypical of team executives in this era.

“You cannot intimidate Pat Riley,” one prominent player agent said to ESPN.

As Windhorst details, Riley let longtime franchise star Dwyane Wade walk over a contract dispute in free agency in 2016 and reportedly shut down LeBron James when the star forward hinted he wanted head coach Erik Spoelstra replaced back in 2010. If the longtime Heat president approaches the Butler situation with a similar mindset, he’s not likely to grant the 35-year-old’s trade request if he doesn’t like what Miami is getting in return.

“The Heat make mistakes and sometimes have issues with players just like everyone else,” one general manager told Windhorst. “But they do not get pushed around.”

As Tim Bontemps of ESPN points out within the same story, under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, it’s not necessarily the worst outcome to have a maximum-salary free agent walk away for nothing. The Clippers took that route with Paul George this past offseason, opting for additional cap flexibility rather than taking back contracts that they didn’t want and would’ve had trouble moving. If the trade offers for Butler are underwhelming, the Heat may decide that’s the best path for them too.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

While Cameron Johnson is among the most coveted trade targets in the NBA, talks involving the Nets forward are expected to be more complex than the ones for Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Windhorst, so they’ll take more time. There will be more suitors in play for Johnson, and Brooklyn has made it clear the price will be higher than it was for its other veterans. As Windhorst writes, the Nets have expressed a belief that Johnson could be a long-term keeper, since he’d fit well alongside just about any impact player they’re able to land in the coming years. Still, at least one rival executive believes that stance may just be a negotiating tactic. “That’s all good to say, but they’ll trade him if they get what they want,” the exec said. “They like him as a player and a person and all that, but they built his contract specifically to be able to trade him by next summer.”
The bidding war between Memphis and the Lakers for Finney-Smith resulted in “hard feelings emanating” from the Grizzlies and the Nets for the way their talks played out, according to Windhorst. That doesn’t mean the two sides can’t come together for another deal – Memphis is reportedly among Johnson’s possible suitors – but it’s something worth keeping in mind ahead of February 6.
Bontemps asked several people around the NBA how many players earning more than Johnson’s $22.5MM will be traded at this season’s deadline. “Not many,” one said. Another replied, “Maybe two?” The thinking is that CBA-related restrictions will complicate moves involving players with significant cap hits.
William Guillory of The Athletic takes a closer look at the Pelicans‘ trade options, identifying Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy, and Yves Missi as the only players on the roster who are essentially untouchable this season. Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Jordan Hawkins, and Jose Alvarado aren’t technically in that group, but are also unlikely trade candidates, in Guillory’s view.

Southwest Notes: Kennard, Welts, Mavs, Murray, Spurs

December 18th, 2024 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard has seen his playing time decline this season to 19.7 minutes per game, the second-lowest mark of his career, and was a DNP-CD last Friday for the first time in 2024/25.

However, Kennard earned praise from head coach Taylor Jenkins for providing Memphis with excellent minutes off the bench against the Lakers on Sunday. Although the Grizzlies lost the game by six points, Kennard was a +18 in 18 minutes of action, knocking down three 3-pointers.

“I give him a lot of credit,” Jenkins said (Twitter video link via Law Murray of The Athletic). “While the group’s been playing well and he was out of the rotation, he’s been putting in all the work. I thought he gave us a spark. It wasn’t even (just) him knocking down some shots. The way he was moving, he was cutting, he was driving, touching the paint, facilitating — just kind of ignited our offense.”

Among the three Grizzlies players who are on expiring contracts this season, Kennard has the highest cap hit at $9.25MM, so if his role doesn’t increase and Memphis looks to make an in-season move on the trade market, he could emerge as a candidate to be dealt by February 6.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Mavericks have hired former Warriors president and Hall of Fame executive Rick Welts as their new CEO, reports Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Welts, who is replacing Cynt Marshall when she retires on December 31, will oversee the Mavs’ business operations, while general manager Nico Harrison continues to oversee the basketball operations, but the two departments will “work closely together whenever possible,” Townsend explains. Both Welts and Harrison will report to Mavs governor Patrick Dumont.
Mavericks stars Luka Doncic (left heel contusion) and Kyrie Irving (right shoulder soreness) didn’t participate in practice on Tuesday, but neither injury appears to be a cause for major concern, says Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link).
A disastrous season in New Orleans that has seen the Pelicans lose 22 of their first 27 games has been made even worse by the struggles of offseason addition Dejounte Murray, writes William Guillory of The Athletic. The Pelicans gave up a significant trade package to acquire Murray from Atlanta in the hopes of solidifying their point guard position, but through his first 10 games, he has shot just 36.4% from the floor and 28.1% on three-pointers, both far below his career rates. Murray has also averaged a career-high 4.2 turnovers per game.
Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan appears to have reclaimed his spot in the team’s starting lineup, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), which means that rookie Stephon Castle may no longer have a place in the starting five. Castle came off the bench on Sunday for the first time since November 4 and struggled in his new role, scoring just two points on 1-of-8 shooting. San Antonio was outscored by 23 points during his 23 minutes on the court.

Pelicans Rumors: Ingram, Tax, Green, Missi, Health

December 6th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Confirming a Michael Scotto report from earlier in the week, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) says Brandon Ingram spent the offseason seeking a maximum-salary contract extension (which could’ve been worth as much as $208MM over four seasons), while the Pelicans would have been comfortable with a deal more in the vicinity of $40MM per year.

Fischer also provides some details on the trade opportunities involving Ingram that the Pelicans explored over the summer, noting that the Kings initially had the forward on their radar before landing DeMar DeRozan and that the Cavaliers weren’t interested in a deal centered around Ingram and Jarrett Allen. While there were some talks with the Jazz, Fischer classifies those discussions as “preliminary,” suggesting Utah’s pursuit of Mikal Bridges got much further down the road.

A return to the Lakers has been mentioned by scouts as a possibility for Ingram, but Fischer says he’s been given no indication Los Angeles is seeking a reunion with their former No. 2 overall pick. The Lakers, according to Fischer, are more focused on adding more frontcourt depth and perimeter defense to their roster.

Given that there doesn’t appear – at this point, at least – to be a team eager to do a long-term, maximum-salary contract for Ingram, league sources expect the forward and his new reps at Klutch Sports to be open to lucrative shorter-term deals, Fischer writes, pointing to Fred VanVleet‘s three-year deal with Houston as an example. That contract is worth the max but features a third-year team option.

It’s still possible the Pelicans will be the team to work out a new agreement with Ingram, but there’s a ceiling on what they’re willing to pay him, Fischer adds.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Executives around the NBA talk about the Pelicans making a move to get out of luxury tax territory as if it’s an inevitability, per Fischer. The team is currently operating about $1.4MM above the tax line, so it might be as simple as shedding a minimum-salary contract at the deadline, though a deal involving Ingram could also potentially get New Orleans out of the tax.
Fischer doesn’t expect New Orleans to make a head coaching change anytime soon, despite some speculation around the NBA about Willie Green‘s job security. “Ownership is loyal to their people,” a New Orleans figure tells Fischer.
People within the Pelicans organization have raved about how quickly rookie center Yves Missi is learning and progressing, according to Fischer, who compares it to the way that people in Dallas were talking about Dereck Lively last season. Nonetheless, Fischer has heard New Orleans remains in the market for frontcourt depth.
Although Zion Williamson, Jose Alvarado, and Jordan Hawkins remain on the injured list, the Pelicans were as healthy as they’ve been since opening night on Thursday, with Ingram, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy all active together for the first time. The result – a hard-fought 126-124 win over Phoenix – was an encouraging one, as William Guillory of The Athletic writes. The Pelicans are still just 5-18, but Thursday’s game provided a glimpse of what the team thought it could be, with the first-time starting lineup of Ingram, Murray, McCollum, Jones, and Missi outscoring the Suns by 14 points in 11 minutes of action.

Southeast Notes: Daniels, Ware, Wizards, Williams

December 4th, 2024 at 10:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, acquired as part of Atlanta’s blockbuster trade that shipped Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans, put the defensive clamps on Murray during the former Hawk’s first game against his old team, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Murray was limited to shooting just 2-of-15 from the field against the Hawks on Monday, while Daniels notched 19 points on 50% field goal shooting.

Murray was the subject of frequent boos from the Atlanta home crowd, and couldn’t get much offense cooking against Daniels. Daniels has emerged as the defense-first backcourt partner for Trae Young that the Hawks had hoped Murray would be when they first acquired him from the Spurs in 2022.

The 21-year-old Daniels is in the third season of his rookie-scale deal, and seems to be fitting in nicely with his new squad. So far this year, the 6’8″ guard is averaging a career-best 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 3.0 assists per night.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

The Heat sent rookie center Kel’el Ware to their G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this week for the first time this season, reports Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Ware has played a grand total of 69 minutes across Miami’s first 20 contests this year, so his stint with the Skyforce will give him a chance for increased reps. The seven-footer was selected with the No. 15 pick out of Indiana.
The Wizards‘ epic losing streak has reached 15 games, approaching the team’s franchise record, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. Washington tied that record, 16 straight defeats, just last season. The Wizards could potentially match or even break that tally in the coming days. Washington next plays Dallas (Thursday), Denver (Saturday), and Memphis (Sunday), all Western Conference squads with winning records.
Hornets center Mark Williams suited up for his first game in almost a year, a 110-104 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. Williams had been sidelined with a lingering strained tendon in his left foot this fall after missing most of last season due to a back issue. Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes that the big moment signified a positive step forward for the young center. Notching just nine minutes of action, the seven-foot big man scored four points on 1-of-4 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 shooting from the foul line. He also pulled down three rebounds and blocked one shot.

Floundering Pelicans ‘Embarrassed’ After Latest Loss

November 28th, 2024 at 9:16am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans were blown out by the Raptors on Wednesday in Dejounte Murray‘s return from a fractured hand. Murray and his teammates left their home court humiliated with their season at a crossroads. Their fans turned on them during the 119-93 loss and Murray couldn’t blame them.

“If you’re not embarrassed and really mad about this, that’s a problem,” Murray said, per Brett Martel of the Associated Press. “It’s not really about the loss, (but) how we lost in front of our fans, Like, even the fans booing — I mean, what would you do if you was a fan paying your money? You want to come watch a competitive basketball game, especially from your home team. So, they got all the rights to say what they want, feel how they feel. They deserve a better game.”

Entering the season, the Pelicans looked like a contender with Murray, acquired in a trade with Atlanta, joining a lineup that included Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, along with proven role players Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones and Jose Alvarado.

Injuries have left them scrambling the first two months of the season. They have lost six straight and 15 of their last 17. Williamson, Ingram, Murphy, Jones and Alvarado remain sidelined but Murray says the compete level must rise, no matter who is available. Toronto came into New Orleans winless on the road.

“When you’ve got guys in, guys out, guys in, guys out, it’s really tough,” said Murray, who finished with 14 points after missing his first seven field goal attempts. “But I think it’s not tough to compete. You can’t get punked. You can’t get pushed around. Tonight, it was just disgusting. We’ve got to compete. We’ve got to play harder, no matter who’s on the floor.”

It’s fair to wonder whether changes might be coming soon, either to the roster or the coaching staff. Head coach Willie Green knows a quick turnaround is needed if his team wants to get back in the postseason picture.

“Starting with me, we have to be better,” Green said, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “That was a lack of competition. We allowed a team to come on our home floor and make us look soft. That’s what I told our group. That can’t happen.”

Toronto shot 49.5 percent from the field and had 38 assists on 47 made baskets.

“Either they got better overnight, or we’ve got to do a better job closing out and making it more difficult,” McCollum said. “It was a horrible showing. From top to bottom, we’ve all got to be better.”

New Orleans now heads out on a three-game road swing with stops in Memphis, New York and Atlanta.

Southwest Notes: Murray, Payton, Aldama, Tate

November 27th, 2024 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

After a report earlier in the week stated that Dejounte Murray was targeting Wednesday for his return from a fractured hand, the Pelicans confirmed it today, announcing (via Twitter) that the team’s most significant offseason addition will be available to play vs. Toronto.

As Will Guillory of The Athletic writes, New Orleans prioritized Murray over the summer because the team wanted to add a true floor general, something the roster had lacked in recent years. Although Murray struggled to score efficiently in his first and only regular season game with the Pelicans last month, making just 4-of-15 shots from the field, he racked up 10 assists and the offense had a more “natural order” when he was running the show, according to Guillory.

While the Pelicans have been missing several players in recent weeks due to injuries, getting a play-maker like Murray back represents a crucial step toward establishing an identity and improving an offense that ranks 27th in the NBA with a 106.8 offensive rating.

“It’s contagious,” head coach Willie Green said. “When you have guys like that who are willing to get off the basketball — they’re looking to get you quality looks — guys are running more. They’re cutting more. Now, they’re sharing the ball because there’s a standard that’s been set.”

We have more from around the Southwest:

With Murray unavailable, point guard Elfrid Payton has started the past three games for the Pelicans after signing a non-guaranteed contract a week ago. It had been two-and-a-half years since Payton last played in a regular season NBA game, but he has been impressive — New Orleans has been better with him on the court than off it in all three games and he handed out a career-high 21 assists on Monday in Indiana. Christian Clark of NOLA.com has the story on Payton’s huge night on Monday, while Rod Walker of NOLA.com takes a look at how the Lousiana native has stepped up for his hometown team.
Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama didn’t reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension prior to this season and is now on track to reach restricted free agency in 2025. Speaking to Nacho Duque of Marca, Aldama – who is averaging a career-best 12.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game – said he’s making an effort not to play “selfish” basketball in his contract year and hopes to work out a new deal with the Grizzlies next summer. “Memphis is my home,” he said. “I feel like we have a very good relationship, and I hope it lasts for many more years.”
Kelly Iko and Danny Leroux of The Athletic take a look at where three Southwest teams – the Rockets, Spurs, and Grizzlies – stand from a salary cap perspective. Within the story, Iko reports that “a few teams” have inquired this season about the availability of veteran Houston forward Jae’Sean Tate, who is on an expiring $7.56MM contract and has fallen out of the club’s rotation due to the emergence of other players. According to Iko, the Rockets would be seeking second-round draft capital in return for Tate.

Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray Plans To Return Wednesday

November 25th, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray intends to return to action on Wednesday vs. Toronto, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Murray was the first of several Pelicans regulars to sustain an in-season injury, going down on opening night with a fractured left hand. The 28-year-old was the club’s most significant offseason addition, with the Pelicans sending Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and a pair of future first-round picks to Atlanta as part of a package for an impact player they envisioned as their starting point guard.

Murray looked good in that role on October 23, nearly registering a triple-double (14 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds) in 30 minutes of action in the team’s season-opening win over the Bulls. However, he hasn’t played since then, and New Orleans has also seen Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Jose Alvarado, and Jordan Hawkins sidelined with multi-week injuries.

The Pelicans have lost 13 of 15 games since winning their first two of the season. They’re running out of time to turn things around in a competitive Western Conference and are expected to be without Williamson and Alvarado for a while yet, but there are reinforcements coming in the backcourt.

While Murray is officially listed as out for Monday’s contest vs. Indiana (Twitter link), his backcourt mate McCollum is probable, indicating he’s likely to return after missing the past 13 games with a right adductor strain. Murray appears on track to rejoin him in the starting lineup two days later.

Brandon Ingram is questionable for Monday’s game with right calf soreness.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.