Dejounte Murray requests trade from New Orleans Pelicans

Dejounte Murray has asked the New Orleans Pelicans for a trade, a request first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Athletic through a team source on Friday. The Pelicans, who are 4-8, said they would evaluate trade opportunities in the organization's best interest. Murray's agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and team officials have begun working toward a resolution. The request followed a 145-111 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and Murray's social media response to criticism of his play. A league source says Murray has strong interest in joining the Phoenix Suns, and a Jalen Green swap has been floated, though a Suns source said there have been no talks.

The right-leaning New York Post leads with the request and calls Murray a former All-Star, featuring the Pelicans' statement, his since-deleted post claiming the 'sabotage' is real, and his point that the team was 1-8 with him and 3-0 without him. It adds background the other excerpts omit: a July 2024 trade from the Hawks for a package headlined by Dyson Daniels, 54 games for New Orleans, and injuries including a fractured hand and an Achilles tear. It also cites NBA insider Chris Haynes on Suns interest and describes Murray's tenure as disastrous. The left-leaning New York Times, under a headline ending in 'Sources,' stresses the anonymity of its sourcing and features Murray's sharp reply to a podcast's clips of his errant pass, plus the Green swap idea and the Suns denial of talks. Its excerpt does not include the franchise history or injuries. The alternative ESPN report says both sides are working toward a resolution.