New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray plans to make his return from a fractured hand Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors, NBA reporter Chris Haynes reported Monday.
Murray, an All-Star in 2022, joined the Pelicans via trade from the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason. He suffered a fractured left hand in his debut with the Pelicans in New Orleans’ opening-night win against the Chicago Bulls. He hasn’t played since.
Murray’s is one of several injuries to key players that have derailed the Pelicans’ season amid a 4-13 start. Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado have also missed extended time with injuries.
McCollum is listed as probable and is projected to make his return from a 13-game absence with an adductor injury Monday night against the Indiana Pacers. Williamson, whose career has been plagued by injuries since being selected No. 1 out of Duke in 2019, has missed eight games with a hamstring injury and reportedly isn’t close to a return to the court. Jones and Alvarado remain out of the lineup. Murphy played his first game Nov. 11 after recovering from a hamstring injury and has sat out the second night of back-to-backs.
While the news of Williamson’s lack of progress is disappointing in New Orleans, the projected return of Murray and McCollum to the lineup means that the Pelicans will have their starting backcourt intact for the first time since opening night.
Murray, 28, averaged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists and 1.4 steals with the Hawks last season while sharing the backcourt with Trae Young. The Pelicans acquired Murray hoping he’d elevate a talented Pelicans roster that also features 2020 All-Star Brandon Ingram in a stacked Western Conference.
The Pelicans have made the playoffs in two of the last three seasons but failed to advance out of the first round. Their 4-13 start instead has them in last place in the West.
