4-8 Pelicans: Dejounte Murray Wants Trade, Sources Say

Dejounte Murray has told the New Orleans Pelicans he wants to be traded, and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, has begun talking with team officials about how to get there, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania in a report published Friday. The Pelicans are 4-8 and have lost four straight, including a 145-111 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, according to ESPN.

What does it mean that Murray "wants" a trade?

In NBA terms, a trade request is not a legal mechanism — it is a signal. Murray has no contractual right to force a move; the Pelicans hold his rights under the standard NBA Uniform Player Contract, and only the team can consent to send him elsewhere. What a request does is open a negotiation track: the player's agent tells the front office the player wants out, and the two sides then work to find a trade that satisfies both the team's return and the player's preferred destinations. ESPN reports Paul and Pelicans officials are already "working on a resolution," language that describes exactly this stage — not an agreement, but an active conversation about terms.

Who actually controls whether a trade happens?

Control sits with New Orleans general manager Joe Dumars and the front office, which can accept, reject, or shop offers on its own timeline. Murray, 30, does not have a no-trade clause cited in the ESPN report, meaning the Pelicans are not bound to honor his preference on when or where he goes. Teams in this position typically weigh three things: the player's trade value given health and performance, the cost of keeping an unhappy veteran on a losing roster, and what young talent or draft capital a deal can return. ESPN notes Murray has played just 54 games over the past three seasons because of injuries, a track record that shapes — and likely limits — his market.

What set off the request?

The public flashpoint came after Wednesday's blowout loss. An account on social media noted the Pelicans are 3-0 without Murray in the lineup this season and 1-8 with him on the court, according to ESPN. Murray responded in a tweet he later deleted:

"From what's going on INSIDE, this sounds like someone hit you to say this! THE 'SABOTAGE' IS REAL!"

ESPN's report does not specify what Murray meant by "sabotage" or who he believes is behind it. The deleted post, paired with the losing streak, is the public marker of a rift that sources say had already moved into trade talks between Paul and the front office.

What did New Orleans give up to get him, and what does that mean for a deal?

The Pelicans acquired Murray in a June 2024 trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sending out two first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell, according to ESPN. At the time, Murray was coming off a 2023-24 season averaging 22.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds for Atlanta. His production in New Orleans has been lower — 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game on 41.9% shooting — while he has also missed significant time, including breaking his hand in the 2024 season opener, per ESPN. That gap between the original asking price and his output since arriving is the central variable the Pelicans face in judging what kind of return a trade can command now.

What happens next in the process?

ESPN's sourcing describes an active, two-sided negotiation rather than a settled outcome. The report states Murray "has made it clear he is ready to play a key role in meaningful basketball elsewhere," language that points to a preference for a winning situation over a rebuild, but no specific destination is named in the source material. Any eventual trade would need to clear standard league trade rules — including matching outgoing and incoming salary within NBA collective bargaining limits — though ESPN's report does not detail specific contract figures or trade restrictions tied to Murray's current deal.

Glossary

Trade request: A player's agent informing a team the player wants to be moved; it carries no contractual force and depends on the team's willingness to negotiate.

No-trade clause: A contract provision, not reported here for Murray, that lets a player veto any trade; without one, the team sets the terms.

Front office: The team's basketball operations staff — general manager and executives — who hold authority over trade decisions.

Return: The players, picks, or cash a team receives in exchange for a player it trades away.

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