The hottest rumor around the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft is what will happen with their two-way wing, Trey Murphy III. Most recently, Murphy III’s name was attached to the Golden State Warriors in a potential deal involving the No. 11 pick so Joe Dumars could draft Nate Ament. But today, The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that another team interested in the Pelicans wing is the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics.
Boston was first linked to the Murphy III when rumors of Jaylen Brown to New Orleans sparked up at the start of June, but since then, it’s been mostly radio silence on that front. With all reports suggesting that Brad Stevens and the Celtics' focus is on Giannis Antetokounmpo, it makes sense that ties to TM3 have quieted.
Amick’s report suggested that Murphy III is plan B for Boston if they can’t strike a deal with the Bucks for the “Greek Freak.”
While some fans may jump to the conclusion that trading Murphy III to Boston would net a return centered around Jaylen Brown, I don’t believe that’s the case. The Celtics have a near 28 million trade exception to use, and with the way Stevens has built these teams over the years, Murphy III is the type of three-point threat he’d love to have alongside the Jays.
A trade with the Celtics doesn’t net New Orleans any real return
Outside of Brown, the Celtics don’t have any win-now talent that they would likely be willing to part with, and New Orleans would really have interest in. Sure, some may say Derrick White, as a three-and-d guard, would fit very nicely alongside Jeremiah Fears or Dejounte Murray in the backcourt. However, with him being 31, he doesn’t strike me as a guy you’d settle on as the centerpiece of a trade involving Murphy III, with him being older and on a more expensive contract.
Boston only has three tradeable firsts, including the No. 27 pick in June’s draft, and it’s hard to believe a deal centered around picks that doesn’t include a lottery selection would entice Dumars. Young talent like Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh would be awesome in New Orleans. They fit that defense-first, high-energy, tough culture Dumars and Jamahl Mosley are trying to build, but they aren’t ready enough to replace Murphy III’s impact in a win-now timeline.
Even though Amick is a highly respected source, this report, in my view, is simply what he said: Boston will shift its focus to Murphy III. Not that the Pelicans are interested in a deal with the Celtics.
Sure, if Jaylen Brown gets upset and demands a trade, New Orleans and Boston could enter serious talks as he’s the type of upgrade it’s expected Dumars would want in a trade. When stacked up against what Indiana, Detroit, or even Golden State could offer, Boston has by far the least compelling offer.
Joe Dumars isn’t going to hand Murphy III away because the league tells him he has to. The whole front office knows the golden ticket Trey Murphy III is, and will wait till their doors are blown off if they decide to trade him this summer or further down the line.
