With the NBA trade deadline looming and the out-of-sorts New Orleans Pelicans sitting in last place in the Western Conference, the typical script would call for a franchise-altering shakeup. However, inside the facility, a narrative built around patience and a potent, burgeoning partnership is still permeating. That is why the front office is reportedly telling inquiring teams there is no intention of dealing either Trey Murphy III or All-Rookie wonder Derik Queen.
The Pelicans view the burgeoning partnership between Murphy III and Queen as the cornerstone of a brighter future, one worth protecting even as pressure mounts to shake up the roster. Interim head coach James Borrego explained why before the team's 42nd game, the midway point of the season.
“I'm very impressed by (the Queen-Murphy III partnership), I really am. It's impressive,” Borrego began. “I wish I could say that I knew that going into the season that they'd have that connection. They have this thing down to a science.”
That “science” is an advanced, cerebral two-man game that has become the Pelicans’ offensive pillar. The 6-foot-10 Murphy III, a career 40%+ three-point shooter, provides lethal spacing and dynamic off-ball movement. Queen operates as a facilitator from the high post and elbow, using his vision and deft touch to find cutters and shooters. Their synergy has turned into must-watch basketball, a silver lining in a clouded season.
New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) looks pass the ball as New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) rotates against the Miami Heat during the first half at Kaseya Center.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Borrego specifically praised the intellectual approach the pair brings to the court, a trait that suggests their games will age well and continue to evolve.
Article Continues Below
“They continue to grow. The beauty of it is, they've just got started together. This is not Gordan, Murray, and Jokic going through playoff series and NBA Finals. (Queen and Murphy III) are just getting started in this. They've got a bright future together, those two. There's beauty in their cerebral game; they talk it out, some of it's just feel, playing off of one another.”
Borrego emphasized that what excites the coaching staff most is not what Murphy III and Queen already do well, but how much remains undiscovered.
“We've got two high-level IQ players who are only getting better. They trust each other. I think we're going to discover even more throughout the rest of this season and see what else we can do with them. They deserve the credit; they're a joy to watch and it's only going to get better from here.”
Murphy III’s rise is no longer theoretical. The wing has stepped into an All-Star-caliber role, expanding his offensive responsibility while maintaining the shooting gravity and defensive versatility that made him valuable in the first place. He has become a primary option who can score at all three levels, handle late-clock pressure, and punish defenses for loading up elsewhere. Queen’s emergence, meanwhile, has been more startling.
The rookie big man is already drawing comparisons to Nikola Jokic, not because of statistical symmetry or physical resemblance, but because of the way he processes the game. Queen’s passing, spatial awareness, and ability to manipulate defenses from the interior have transformed the Pelicans’ offense into something more fluid and intelligent than their record suggests. Together, Murphy III and Queen have formed an unexpected but increasingly central two-man game, one that the Pelicans believe is worth protecting at all costs.