The Golden State Warriors‘ interest in New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III is one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets.
This past offseason, the Warriors reached out to the Pelicans on a potential deal for the 3-and-D wing, per insider Marc Stein.
With the Pelicans off to a 3-16 start — and not incentivized to tank — could Murphy be available ahead of the February 5 trade deadline? According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Pelicans and Indiana Pacers have emerged as trade suitors for Jonathan Kuminga, potentially opening the door for the Warriors to acquire Murphy.
“Along with the Pacers, another team the Warriors will likely talk with about Kuminga is the New Orleans Pelicans,” Siegel reported on November 28.
“Both Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are players the Warriors have great interest in, and they are the type of versatile wings the Dubs would want in a deal involving Kuminga.”
Warriors Trade Target: Trey Murphy
Stein reported in August that members of the Warriors organization hold Murphy in high regard and view him as a perfect fit in their system
“Sources say that the Warriors have a strong affinity for Murphy and have made outreach to New Orleans as recently as this summer,” Stein wrote. “Yet sources say that the Pelicans, to be clear, have batted away calls for the 25-year-old, valuing him highly.”
It’s worth noting that a lot has happened since Stein’s report in August. The Pelicans, who don’t own their first-round pick in 2026, may have no option but to part with Murphy, Jones and other veterans — to potentially acquire draft assets and young players to pair with their blossoming duo of Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.
A Stylistic Fit
Murphy, who has averaged 3.0 made threes per game over his last three seasons, would be an ideal fit in the Warriors offense. For one, he thrives off the ball, a skillset that seems to work wonders for players who feed off Stephen Curry’s gravity. Also, at 6-foot-9, he’s a versatile defender who can guard four positions, another skill set that aligns with a Warriors defense that routinely goes small with Draymond Green at the five.
The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami explained why the Warriors would trade Kuminga for Murphy “in a split second” if given the chance.
“The perfect salary ($25 million this season and signed for three more after this), age (25), and skill set (acrobatic 3-and-D wing) for a Kuminga trade. That is, from the Warriors’ side,” Kawakami reported on November 13.
“Conclusion: I don’t know what Joe Dumars is doing in New Orleans, so maybe he’d dump Murphy to get Kuminga. The Warriors would do that in a split second and probably add things to the offer. I doubt Dumars would do it.”
Trey Murphy III is averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals in his fifth season with the Pelicans, while making 2.9 threes at a clip of 37%. Last year, he averaged a career-high 21.2 points, often serving as the No. 1 option on offense.
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