The San Antonio Spurs have made one big trade in 2025 by acquiring De'Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings, and they could make another. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Spurs are interested in trading for Trey Murphy III, but also revealed that the New Orleans Pelicans have batted away calls for the wing.
The Pelicans value Murphy highly, and they won't be parting with him unless a quality offer is on the table. Can the Spurs put together a good enough package without giving up their big names? Well, Air Alamo's Cal Durrett thinks they can, as he proposed an interesting mock trade.
Proposed Trade Details
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Trey Murphy III
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Devin Vassell, 2026 first-round pick swap (most favorable of SAS/ATL), 2027 first-round pick (ATL), 2031 first-round pick swap (most favorable of SAS/SAC)
The Spurs Get More Firepower
The Spurs have failed to make the playoffs for the last six seasons, but they now appear to have a team that's good enough to end the drought. That said, they are still some ways away from competing with the heavyweights in the brutal Western Conference.
The addition of Murphy wouldn't make the Spurs contenders, but they would certainly close the gap. The 25-year-old averaged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Pelicans in 2024-25. It was the best season of his career, and he was one of the few bright spots on that team.
Murphy would complement Victor Wembanyama and Fox well. He has shot 38.3% from beyond the arc in his career, and this Spurs team does need shooting. Murphy is a competent defender as well and strengthens the team further on that end of the floor.
The Pelicans Get A Quality Young Wing And Draft Capital
We now get to the Pelicans, and it's important to note here that they don't have any incentive to tank in the 2025-26 season. They included their 2026 first-round pick in a deal with the Atlanta Hawks to move up in the 2025 NBA Draft, so losing games next season does them no good.
That, in turn, means any package for Murphy needs to have a player who can contribute well right away, and Devin Vassell can do just that. Vassell averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Spurs in 2024-25.
Vassell had put up 19.1 points in the two seasons before the last one, but saw his role in the offense reduce a bit. With a bigger role in New Orleans, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him put up similar numbers once again as he partners with Jordan Poole in the backcourt.
The Pelicans also get some interesting draft picks here that could turn out to be pretty good ones. Trae Young's future with the Hawks is somewhat in doubt, while the Kings appear to have gone back to being dysfunctional.
A Win-Win Trade?
Trades in the NBA very rarely turn out to benefit both parties, but this one just might.
The Spurs made it clear that they were done rebuilding and wanted to start winning games when they traded for Fox. With Wembanyama, who averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game in 2024-25, turning into a dominant force on the court, it is in their best interests to put quality pieces around him now.
Murphy is the kind of wing you want to put next to the Frenchman. Giving up all that draft capital might seem a bit risky, but it's a gamble worth taking.
As for the Pelicans, Vassell is a quality piece to get back. He is not a household name as such, but it speaks to how good he is that a former Spurs champion called him the X-factor for the team next season. The Pelicans could potentially strike gold with those draft picks as well, so if this deal is ever on the table, it's one they should consider.