Without a doubt, it’s been a lost NBA season for the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s also a lost one for guard Dejounte Murray, who reportedly suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Friday’s loss to Boston.
Murray is out for the season and now, it seems, the Pelicans will look to make at least a smaller deal ahead of the NBA trade deadline. More specifically, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, New Orleans will try to make a trade to get below the luxury tax threshold.
That could mean moving Brandon Ingram — a possibility that’s been swirling on the rumor mill since the summer. Lately, Ingram has been linked to the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and several others.
But that would be a larger-scale deal. At least, you sure would think so, given Ingram’s status as a player. When healthy, he’s a borderline All-Star. Problem is, he can’t seem to stay on the court.
Anyway, it’s been an utterly brutal season of injuries in New Orleans. It’s a big reason they’re 12-37. Some might tell you it’s the only reason.
Murray’s latest injury occurred during a 118-116 home loss to the reigning champion Boston Celtics on Friday night, a game in which he played just eight minutes and scored four points before exiting.
He’s averaging 17.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 30 games with the Pelicans, who have barely been able to piece a full lineup together at any point this season. Their current state is considerably below expectations for a team that entered the year with a lineup that was supposed to feature Murray, Ingram Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III, who scored 40 on 15-of-20 shooting Friday.
Where New Orleans goes from here is anyone’s guess, though the fall guy in these basketball disasters of a season is usually the coach. In the Pelicans’ case, that man is Willie Green. The seat of president of basketball operations David Griffin also may be getting hotter.
It’s not their fault, it’s just the fault of fate. But for Griffin, getting under the tax threshold will probably be a start to keeping ownership at least partially happy. The rest seems to be up to perhaps someday getting a single stroke of luck.
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