The New Orleans Pelicans have made the first post-NBA Draft splash.
The Pelicans acquired All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, ESPN reported Friday.
Adding Murray to the roster improves New Orleans’ backcourt and will likely boost their overall shot creation. The Pelicans sent a pair of first-round picks, Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels, to Atlanta in exchange for Murray.
Murray is coming off a strong season. He appeared in 78 games and averaged a career-best 22.5 points.
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Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks against the Boston Celtics during Game 3 of the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs April 21, 2023, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
He also was a catalyst for the Hawks during three-time All-Star Trae Young’s extended absence due to injury in the second half of the season.
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Murray’s shooting from beyond the arc also improved last season. The 27-year-old knocked down a career-best 201 3-pointers during the 2023-24 campaign.
Larry Nance Jr. during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2024 SoFi Play-In Tournament April 16, 2024, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. (Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
The Hawks gave up three first-round draft picks to land Murray in 2022. The franchise hoped adding Murray to Atlanta’s backcourt alongside Young would create one of the more formidable duos in the NBA.
But the experiment was largely unsuccessful, and Murray will now see how he fares in New Orleans with Brandon Ingram.
Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) and guard Trae Young (11) celebrate before a win against the Boston Celtics during the second half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series April 21, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Murray signed a four-year, $114 million extension with the Hawks last year, but Atlanta will not have to pay any of that salary as the deal has yet to kick in. Murray is scheduled to earn an estimated $25.3 million for the 2024-25 season.
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New Orleans hopes Murray can help reverse the team’s fortunes when they are trailing late in games. Last season, the Pelicans lost every game when they entered the fourth quarter facing a deficit. Murray made three go-ahead baskets in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or in overtime last seasson.
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