Trey Murphy opens up about what went wrong for the Pelicans this season, sharing his honest insights on the team’s challenges.

The 2024-25 New Orleans Pelicans haven’t had a particularly memorable season, and Trey Murphy’s experience reflects that. Unfortunately, the team has encountered its share of bad luck. For example, the Pelicans had eight players ruled out for a game earlier this season.

Injuries have played a significant role in the Pelicans’ disappointing record this season. Murphy discussed the team’s struggles and what has gone wrong during an appearance on the Kevin O’Connor Show.

“I mean, the biggest thing is chemistry,” Murphy said. “You got to play together. Even from the start of training camp, I played the first day of training camp, and then the next morning, when we played again, I pulled my hamstring, and I was out for 6 weeks. I wasn’t a part of that group to build chemistry.

“At the end of the day, it’s a new team from last year; it’s a new team. We didn’t have a lot of our second unit guys, and our starting man unit was different this time. Now add in Dejounte (Murray), and so when that happened, that was already a piece that we couldn’t build chemistry, and that’s the most important thing for teams winning.”

Trey Murphy shares his insights on the issues plaguing the Pelicans this season.

With their current record, the Pelicans are already out of playoff contention. At 13-42, they would need to win their next 29 games to have a chance. Additionally, they recently lost one of their top players, as the Pelicans traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors during the NBA trade deadline.

That trade may have signaled the beginning of the end for New Orleans. Additionally, the franchise has grown hesitant about Zion Williamson, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career, creating uncertainty for the team. Trading Ingram could potentially initiate a rebuilding phase for the Pelicans.

After reaching the playoffs three seasons ago, the Pelicans have not seen similar success since. As Murphy pointed out, injuries disrupted the team’s chemistry and ultimately impacted their season. For many within the organization, the 2024-25 season is one they’d prefer to forget.

Fortunately for Murphy, he shouldn’t worry about being traded. The franchise has labeled him an untouchable player during the trade deadline. He has shown improvement each season and is a proficient three-point shooter. Additionally, Murphy signed a five-year contract extension before the start of the 2024-25 season.

Retaining one of their franchise players is crucial for the Pelicans. However, Murphy may have to wait until next season for improvements in team chemistry.