No move in the NBA player acquisition market is made in a vacuum. There are always salary floors and luxury tax to consider, along with how the move increases the chances of beating other teams. The New Orleans Pelicans swapped out spare parts for Dejounte Murray, getting better on paper. Raising the talent level in the locker room might not have increased the team's chances of winning all that much though. The move cannot be judged in a vacuum and a peek at the other point guards on the schedule should scare some of the Gulf South's more overly optimistic fans.
Improving on a 49-win season was always going to be difficult for Willie Green's Pelicans. Doing so in the Southwest Division while navigating the toughest NBA Cup group is one of the most challenging courses to the postseason the league could have served up on the schedule. That is why the Point Guard Upgrade is a matter of perspective. Luka Doncic still runs the division and Steph Curry awaits in the NBA Cup after all.
Pelicans readjusting roles
The acquisition of Murray sparked plenty of excitement but things have cooled off in the Crescent City. Brandon Ingram remains in the Big Easy and the front office still has a huge Jonas Valanciunas hole to fill in the front court. There is a reasonable debate now circulation among NBA analysts about how much this upgrade will be worth in the win column.
On one hand, Murray provides the Pelicans with a natural point guard, allowing CJ McCollum to shift to his more comfortable position on the wing. On the other hand, the Pelicans still face a daunting challenge in the stacked Southwest Division and a tough NBA Cup Group Stage. Adjusting to the new rotational dynamics quickly will determine how Murray is judged and how hot Willie Green's seat gets going into the holidays.
Murray averaged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game on 45.9% shooting from the field last season. His addition is supposed to unlock new offensive dynamics for Williamson and the Pelicans. However, the Pelicans employing Ingram, Williamson, McCollum, Murray, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones presents Green with a good problem. Someone has to go to the bench as a sixth man. There will have to be a numbers-crunch-related conversation at some point.
Power ranking the point guards
To understand what Murray means in the bigger picture, it’s essential to compare him with other elite point guards in the league. Here’s a look at how Murray stacks up against just divisional rivals and NBA Cup competition. Luka Doncic, Fred VanVleet, Chris Paul, Ja Morant, Jamal Murray, and Steph Curry stand between the Pelicans and a successful season. Here is how Murray stacks up against them in both per-game and per-100 possession stats.
| Player | Points | Assists | Rebounds | Points per 100 | Assists per 100 | Rebs per 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dejounte Murray | 22.5 | 6.4 | 5.3 | 29.8 | 8.5 | 7.1 |
| Luka Doncic | 33.9 | 9.8 | 9.2 | 42.9 | 12.4 | 11.7 |
| Fred VanVleet | 17.4 | 8.1 | 3.8 | 22.8 | 10.6 | 5.0 |
| Chris Paul | 9.2 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 16.7 | 7.1 | 6.5 |
| Ja Morant | 25.1 | 8.1 | 5.6 | 33.5 | 10.8 | 7.4 |
| Jamal Murray | 22.1 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 33.0 | 10.1 | 6.4 |
| Steph Curry | 26.4 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 37.9 | 7.3 | 6.4 |
A power ranking of point guards still has the Pelicans with a middle-of-the-pack option. Dejounte Murray is closer to the bottom than the top in most per 100 possession stats. Doncic, Curry, and Morant are All-NBA talents. Jamal Murray is going to make more All-Star games than anyone in New Orleans not named Zion Williamson. VanVleet is a terror with title-winning experience and a better supporting cast this season. All could be better than Dejounte Murray in most metrics and not many scouts would be surprised.
Deeper Look at Dejounte Murray's game
Murray is also outside of the top three point guards in the West when comparing advanced stats, recent defensive effectiveness, and shot-tracking trends. The Pelicans took a deeper look at Murray's game and expect a reversion back to the All-Star averages he posted with the San Antonio Spurs. Still, even posting career highs in every category would not place Murray among the elite point guards in the conference. This chart does not even include Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kyrie Irving, DeAaron Fox, or Anthony Edwards.
| Player | Steals | Blocks | Turnovers | TS% | PER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dejounte Murray | 1.9 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 55.5% | 17.93 |
| Luka Doncic | 1.8 | 0.7 | 5.1 | 61.7% | 28.35 |
| Fred VanVleet | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 56.8% | 16.87 |
| Chris Paul | 2.2 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 54.4% | 14.79 |
| Ja Morant | 1.0 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 57.0% | 20.82 |
| Jamal Murray | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 58.6% | 20.96 |
| Steph Curry | 1.0 | 0.5 | 4.1 | 61.6% | 20.84 |
Judging a player's effectiveness through points, rebounds, and assists per game alone can be very misleading. These per 100 possessions stats provide a more normalized view of each player’s performance, accounting for differences in playing time and pace. For example, Doncic’s high PER and TS% continue to stand out, reflecting his efficiency and overall impact. John Hollinger's PER rankings still have Murray as the fourth-best option.
New Orleans is hoping their new point guard will use stats like these for fuel. The 27-year-old is in a wonderful position to prove all of the doubters wrong. The Pelicans need Murray ready to set the tone going into training camp.
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