The 24–25 season hasn’t started yet, but injuries are already a concern for the Pelicans. According to the franchise, Trey Murphy III sustained a right hamstring strain that will sideline him for at least three weeks, likely causing him to miss the start of the regular season and perhaps a few more games.
He suffered the injury during Thursday’s practice session and then underwent an MRI that confirmed the diagnosis. He will be re-evaluated after three weeks to gauge his progress, and with fewer than 20 days remaining until the new campaign begins, it seems unlikely he’ll play in the opener—unless they rush his return. But since it’s just the first of 82 games, that wouldn’t appear to make much sense.
Murphy averaged 14.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in his third season. After his breakout in 2022–23, he struggled to maintain momentum, as frequent physical issues forced him in and out of the rotation for a long stretch. Even when he found some consistency, he couldn’t quite lock down a spot in Willie Green’s starting lineup. He showed glimpses of the potential everyone knows he has, but he wasn’t always able to perform at his peak.
We’ll see if this can be the year he breaks through, as the franchise hopes to leave behind the injury nightmares of recent seasons—not just for Murphy but for nearly every key member of the roster. This is not the most promising start, yet so far it’s only a minor setback. With any luck, maybe it won’t amount to more than that.
(Cover photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
