UVA hoops alum Trey Murphy III averaged 20 minutes per game in the New Orleans Pelicans’ first-round playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns in April, providing a nice three-and-D presence on the perimeter.
With the Pels expecting to get 2019 #1 overall pick Zion Williamson back for a full run in 2022-2023, TM3 should be a valuable piece for head coach Willie Green, providing spacing for Williamson and fellow Duke one-and-done Brandon Ingram to operate down low.
Murphy was 9-of-19 from three-point range in the playoffs, on the heels of a solid 10-game closing stretch to the regular season, in which he scored in double digits on five occasions, and averaged 9.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, shooting 42.2 percent (19-of-45) from three.
Murphy, a 2021 first-round pick, went for a career-high 32 points in a 142-120 loss to Charlotte in March, connecting on 12-of-20 from the floor and 7-of-12 from long-range.
This came after he had been sent down to the G-League for a six-game stint in which he averaged 23.0 points per game.
Murphy built on his nice finish to his NBA rookie season with a solid run in the Summer League, averaging 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and 44.0 percent from three.
Murphy is a knockdown shooter, and should benefit when opponents try to double Williamson and Ingram in the post.
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Chris Graham
