The players of the New Orleans Pelicans had suffered many injuries in the last season, and the club could get another big blow right before the start of the 2023-24 season. According to NBA insider and ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, Trey Murphy III suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee during a workout on Sunday.
As of now, it is uncertain whether the swingman would require surgery or not. The injury can prove to be bad news for the Pelicans, who already had a disappointing last season. Murphy was one of the few consistent performers on the team.
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Trey Murphy III: Player Stats
The 2022-23 season proved to be outstanding for the Pelicans’ player. Murphy appeared in 79 games and averaged 14.6 points, which also happened to be his career’s high, with 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. His conversion score remained just as illustrious by converting 48.4% of his field goal attempts and 40.6 percent of his three-point attempts.
Not only that, he even achieved the historical feat of averaging 60% from the field, 40% from the arc, and an efficient 90% from the charity stripe. Aside from him, only two other players ever achieved this feat in NBA history. He was also one of the only six players last season who made at least 200 triples with a percent better than 40 from deep.
This unexpected injury has put the Pelicans in a tough spot as the availability of their star player, Zion Williamson, is already uncertain, and they cannot afford to lose another capable player. While they do have other players, such as Brandon Ingram, CJ Mccollum, and Alvaro Jones, their bench is light, and none is as impactful a player as Murphy is.
The reports did not delve into the exact seriousness of the injury, but meniscus injuries, in general, can take a long time to heal. Some meniscus tears can even prove to be detrimental to the player’s career.
The Pelicans should be able to make a strong comeback if top players such as Murphy make a speedy recovery and Williamson gets healthy as well.
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