New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III has been a hot name in the rumor mill as a potential trade option for the franchise. While several organizations have been linked to Murphy leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft, the latest word claims that New Orleans has at least been in talks with the Atlanta Hawks about making a potential trade.
In the latest episode of “Locked on Pelicans Podcast,” insider Jake Madison stated that New Orleans has a prospect circled on its draft board and is seeking a top 10 pick. From the sounds of it, the rumored trade discussions with Atlanta suggest the two organizations are in trade talks involving Murphy and the No. 8 overall pick.
“The Pelicans are listening because they want something or someone specific in return. This is a team that absolutely wants a top-10 pick in this draft, not just a first-round pick, but a top-10 pick,” said Madison. “They clearly have a player that they are targeting. The Pelicans are definitely in discussions with multiple teams about trying to acquire a first-round pick.
“The most recent thing I heard came from someone texting me about it, and after doing some digging and trying to confirm it with other people, I learned that the Pelicans have had talks with the Atlanta Hawks about getting the eighth overall pick in this draft,” Madison claimed.
The Hawks have already made a notable trade this offseason, sending two future second-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for guard Aaron Wiggins. Atlanta made a big jump in production last season, and adding Trey Murphy III to the roster could be what sets this team apart from the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, it is not entirely clear which prospect the Pelicans may have on their radar. However, the club has a chance to find another young asset to complement Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, the two prospects the front office selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, to create a young core to build around.
The five-year veteran is coming off a solid 2025-26 campaign with the Pelicans. Through 66 games played, Murphy averaged career highs in points (21.5), rebounds (5.7), assists (3.8), and steals (1.5) per contest. He hit those numbers, shooting 47.0% from the field while hitting 37.9% of his three-point attempts.
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