A big question for the New Orleans-Pelikans who enter the 2025-26 season is when Dejounde Murray returns from his Achilles Trane. Fortunately for Pelicans -Fans, ESPN’s Shams Charania has just given a huge update on Murray’s rehabilitation process, Via NBA today.
“He is making progress. He is doing better. Every day he does a little more … I would immediately look at where Dejounde Murray could give up to make his return”
Murray’s return to the court who came in the new year was predictable because he tore his Achilles on January 31, and the timeline for returning an injury like this is usually 10-12 months. That does not mean that this news from Charania must be overlooked.
Often players who suffer great injuries during their rehabilitation process, who can slow down their return. However, it is a huge relief to hear that Murray is making good progress and is on his way to return to his recovery window.
With a New Year’s efficiency that is now expected for him, the plan for the pelicans is simple: stay inside .500 until the first 30-35 games and then get Murray back and set off.
Can the pelicans survive without Murray?
Without Murray the pelicans can still be a competitive team, but have a much lower ceiling than when it is healthy. Murray is the type of point watch that this core was missing, someone who is an elite playmaker and can be trusted to run an attack.
That said, Joe Dumars moved this season to bring the pelicans into a position where they can survive without Murray. He added a ton of depth to Point Guard by bringing in Jordan Poole through trade and Jeremiah fears through the design.
JP is expected to start, and after a career year I have every confidence in the world that he can hold things while waiting for Murray’s return.
As far as the fears are concerned, he will probably split repetitions on the Back-up Point Guard spot with veteran Jose Alvarado, who is looking for a career season in 2024-25.
Outside the depth that New Orleans now has on Point Guard, Zion Williamson also seems to be in the best form where he has been prepared in 2019. Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are both completely healthy in the 2025-26 season. New additions such as Kevon Looney and Saddiq Bey bring versatility and experience that this group has missed in recent seasons.
All these ingredients create a recipe that I think the pelicans enable to stay between the 11th and 8th seeds during the first half of the season – place them in an excellent position to make a play -off push when Murray returns to the new year.
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