NBA Insider includes the Pelicans player as the ‘dark horse’ to win a prestigious award

The New Orleans Pelicans have assembled a more than competitive roster with a solid mix of young rising stars and NBA veterans.

As the season approaches, the Pelicans hope the organization has found the recipe for success. Furthermore, one of the keys to the team’s success could be about to take a new leap.

“Assuming Brandon Ingram is eventually traded, (Trey) Murphy should earn a spot in the New Orleans Pelicans’ starting lineup and increase last year’s average of 29.6 minutes per game,” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes writes.

“If he plays alongside the starters more often, it will mean defenses won’t be able to pay as much attention to him as a perimeter threat or secondary attacker.”

“That dynamic could allow Murphy, who had great success last year en route to 14.8 points per game, to produce another attention-grabbing highlight package.”

Murphy was selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft before being traded to the Pelicans.

The Virginia alum has become a good rotation player for New Orleans and has shown flashes of being more than a role player.

As the team considers moving on from Ingram, it could open up room for even more growth in Murphy’s game. In any case, the forward will have an important role in the team next season.

If it all comes together for the ACC product, he could be a hidden candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

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