Pelicans solve point guard problem with Dejounte Murray in proposed trade
The Pelicans pay a hefty sum in Favale’s proposal. But their offense lacked the kind of attacking presence he brings as a lead guard. Murray is not great at the point of attack defensively. But his 6-foot-5 frame is much more valuable at the 1 then the 2.
He showed what he could do in that role last season as Young missed 23 straight games following surgery on his finger.
Murray averaged 24.8 points, 9.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in that stretch.
He also shot 36.4% on 9.3 threes per game, though the Hawks could muster just a 12-11 record with that setup. It was apparently enough to have the Hawks considering keeping him over Young this offseason.
Good luck getting past DJ 😈 @ChickfilA pic.twitter.com/nzmp8fNNla
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) May 28, 2024
Murray is the foundation of this deal for the Pelicans. But Bogdanovic would also be a solid get, even on a potentially bloated contract given his injury history.
Bogdanovic averaged 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals in 2023-24.
The 31-year-old swingman also shot 37.4% from beyond the arc and has proven effective in the starting lineup or off the bench. Even with his past injury concerns, Bogdanovic made a career-high 79 appearances last season.
New Orleans already shot 38.3% from deep as a team last season. Bogdanovic could help them with volume. They ranked 24th with 32.6 attempts per game last season.
Bogdanovic attempted 8.1 per game; more than every Pelicans player save for CJ McCollum.
Grade – B+: It’s pricey. But Murray could be the kind of lead guard the Pelicans have been searching for and fits nicely into their pre-existing defensive framework. Bogdanovic is a bonus.