Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray available to return from Achilles injury for game against Warriors
Just over a year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon, New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is ready to return.
Murray, 29, is listed as available on the NBA’s injury report for Tuesday’s game with the Golden State Warriors. The nine-year veteran ruptured his Achilles on Jan. 31, 2025, sustaining the injury during a non-contact play against the Boston Celtics in which he lunged for the ball and then immediately fell to the court.
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Murray was in his first season with New Orleans after being acquired from the Atlanta Hawks for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and two first-round picks. He also missed 17 games with a broken hand early in the season, limiting him to 31 games overall.
The Pelicans are going through a season that sees them second to last in the Western Conference (and fourth worst in the NBA) at 16-42. With 24 games remaining, some may question Murray’s return. But tanking isn’t much use for the Pelicans after trading this year’s first-round selection to the Hawks to move up and select Derik Queen.
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Murray also wants to see some game action after being sidelined for more than a year.
“I’m here, I love New Orleans, I love the people. This is why I’m coming back,” Murray said Monday at the Pelicans Film Room.
“I’m not one of those guys that says, I get paid, I could get 6-7 months more, or our team is 14th in the West,” he added. “There’s a lot of excuses for an idiot to say, ‘No, I’m not going to play.’ I’m the opposite.”
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Murray will likely be on a minutes restriction as he works his way back. Pelicans interim coach James Borrego wouldn’t say for sure how much Murray might play, but praised him for wanting to get on the field.
“It speaks to his character, that he cares,” Borrego said, via the Associated Press. “I’m not saying that everyone coming off this injury would even play now. This kid wants to play. He wants to be out there on the field. He wants to compete. He wants to be out there with his teammates. He wants to win.”
During his eight NBA seasons, Murray averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game while playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Hawks and Pelicans. He missed the entire 2018-19 season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the preseason.