The New Orleans Pelicans are approaching the 2024-25 season with a roster full of big-name talent on both sides of the court.
With the usual suspects in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Herbert Jones, and the new addition in Dejounte Murray, the organization has built a promising roster that looks to build on their short playoff run in the 2023-24 campaign.
One player continues to fly under the radar, despite being a key member of the Pelicans roster for the coming year.
After putting up career-highs in points (14.8), rebounds (4.9), and assists (2.2) per game last season, Trey Murphy III looks to have a much bigger role in New Orleans’ offense for the coming year.
Despite his improvements, Murphy’s current ADP hovers around the 100th pick, and Jeff Edgerton of CBS Sports says that makes the young forward a promising sleeper pick for fantasy basketball teams everywhere.
“[His average ADP] is too high considering his numbers during the 2023-24 season,” writes Edgerton, “even if his place in the rotation remains static, he’ll still deliver as an apt rim defender who can stretch the floor with accurate mid-range and perimeter shooting.”
After Media Day Monday, the plan of attack for the Pelicans is much more clear than it was heading into the week.
As it stands, the team intends to run a small-ball starting five, hell-bent on shooting threes and playing strong defense.
The most likely starting five for New Orleans will see Murray, Jones, Ingram, Murphy, and Williamson, meaning that Murphy will see an increase in minutes in the coming campaign, with a workload more resembling the 31 minutes per game he played in the 2022-23 season, if not even more.
The improvements that Murphy made last year should carry over, as well, and should prove even better with a better unit around him in the starting five.
Any injuries that the Pelicans succumb to are likely to further increase Murphy’s role, seeing him play even more minutes and accrue even more counting stats that are sure to help any fantasy team.
Pre-season games start on Monday, October 7th, and things will get even more clear for the Pelicans and how they plan to deploy their roster this year.
As it stands, Trey Murphy can be a solid sleeper pick in your NBA Fantasy Draft and could be a big piece for your roster down the stretch, just like he could be for New Orleans on the real hardwood.
