The 24\u201325 season hasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
He suffered the injury during Thursday\u2019s 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\u2019ll play in the opener\u2014unless they rush his return. But since it\u2019s just the first of 82 games, that wouldn\u2019t appear to make much sense.<\/p>\n
Murphy averaged 14.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in his third season. After his breakout in 2022\u201323, 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\u2019t quite lock down a spot in Willie Green\u2019s starting lineup. He showed glimpses of the potential everyone knows he has, but he wasn\u2019t always able to perform at his peak.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll see if this can be the year he breaks through, as the franchise hopes to leave behind the injury nightmares of recent seasons\u2014not just for Murphy but for nearly every key member of the roster. This is not the most promising start, yet so far it\u2019s only a minor setback. With any luck, maybe it won\u2019t amount to more than that.<\/p>\n
(Cover photo: Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"