It was a rough year for the New Orleans Pelicans as the team finished the regular season with a 21-61 record. With the NBA Draft around the corner, star guard Dejounte Murray put the franchise on blast after experiencing one of the worst seasons of his career.
During a guest appearance on “The Pivot Podcast,” Murray was incredibly critical of the Pelicans. While opening up about his personal issues at home, the 28-year-old guard called out New Orleans for the dysfunction he witnessed during his first season with the organization.
“It was a situation where, like, I got all these problems going on… I broke my hand, I'm recovering. My mom had a stroke, one of my cousins got killed, then my uncle overdosed… [During all this] I'm not getting what I need in the organization. It's hard for me to get my training time. It's hard for me to get lifts. It's hard for me to get my own court time. So, you can only imagine where my mental was at.”
Article Continues BelowDejounte Murray was going through some serious personal woes throughout the 2024-25 campaign. After calling out the Pelicans during his time of need, there's a chance he can turn things around as time goes on.
The Pelicans originally traded for Murray in July 2024. He finished his first season with the club, averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Dejounte Murray also owned a career low 39.3% field goal percentage while shooting 29.9% from beyond the 3-point line.
There's plenty of time for Murray to turn things around in New Orleans, but it sounds like the franchise might have to step up to give him what he needs to succeed. Next season will be the second year of his four-year, $114 million contract.
The Pelicans enter the 2025 NBA Draft with the No. 7 overall pick. It gives the front office the opportunity to find a solid rookie prospect to play alongside Dejounte Murray and power forward Zion Williamson.