When Kevin O'Connor reported that the New Orleans Pelicans had no untouchable players, it was exciting to think about the possibility of adding Trey Murphy III to this roster. But this far into the offseason, it's clear that's not happening, and that's okay because San Antonio has Trey Murphy III at home. His name is Carter Bryant, and Murphy recently explained that he's been guiding the young man.
Trey Murphy III on being a mentor to Carter Bryant:
“I would see clips of him. I was like alright this kid has a chance, he’s gonna be pretty good… Throughout the year at Arizona he would ask for advice, I would just try to help him through stuff.”
(via @OldManAndThree YT) pic.twitter.com/FPM4cM03to
— CarterBryantMuse (@CBryantMuse) August 1, 2025
Disregard Jabari Smith Jr.'s struggle with understanding what a mentee is. That's the kind of thing you expect from a Houston Rockets player. The revelation that Bryant has had the ear of a player like Murphy should excite Spurs fans because he's the very player everyone wants CB to emulate.
Carter Bryant is learning from the right player
Trey has a similar frame to Alamo City's 14th overall pick. They're both 6'8" with about a 7'0" wingspan, but Bryant (225 lbs) is heavier than the Pelicans forward (206 lbs). That extra weight will serve him well in a league with men who will push you around if you let them.
Murphy only averaged five points per game in his rookie season. He shot 38% from three and got on the floor by playing defense. Sound familiar? I don't expect Carter to average a bunch of points in his first year, either. He shouldn't. There are too many other players on the roster who are going to take the bulk of shots. He just needs to defend and capitalize on his offensive opportunities when they come his way.
Trey is coming off his fourth year in the league, and his scoring average has catapulted to 21 points per game. It's hard to envision the same exact trajectory for Bryant for the same reason that I don't see him averaging much more than five points in his rookie season. The Spurs aren't the Pelicans, and they don't have a star player who's going to keep missing games because he's not in shape.
Victor Wembayama is going to be there, taking nearly 20 shots per game; De'Aaron Fox will be taking his fair share, as will Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and others. San Antonio has never run an offense conducive to secondary players averaging a bunch of points. It's team basketball through and through. Everyone eats.
But that doesn't mean he won't grow and become a problem to deal with on both sides of the ball. That's what fans expect from him, and that's what Trey Murphy III has built for himself. If Bryant becomes that or a better version of it, Spurs Nation will be elated. Rightfully so.