Trey Murphy III, Derrick Quinn calls before NBA trade deadline won’t budge

With the NBA trade deadline approaching and out of the New Orleans Pelicans variety sitting in last place in the Western Conference, a typical scenario would require a franchise change. However, inside the facility, a narrative built around patience and a strong, growing partnership still pervades. That’s why the front office is reportedly telling poll teams that it exists he has no intention of dealing with Trey Murphy III either or Rookie prodigy Derrick Quinn.

The Pelicans see the growing partnership between Murphy III and Quinn 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, midway through the season.

“I’m very impressed (with the Queen-Murphy III partnership), I really am. It’s impressive,” Borrego began. “I wish I could say I knew going into the season they were going to have that relationship. They’ve got this thing down to a science.”

That “science” is the advanced, cerebral two-man game that has become the Pelicans’ offensive mainstay. A career 40%+ three-point shooter, the 6-foot-10 Murphy III provides lethal spacing and dynamic movement off the ball. The Queen acts as a facilitator from the high post and elbow, using her vision and deft touch to find cutters and shooters. Their synergy has translated into must-watch basketball, a silver lining in a dark season.

Borrego particularly praised the intellectual approach the pair brings to the court, a trait that suggests their games will age well and continue to evolve.

“They continue to grow. The beauty of it is that they’re just getting started together. This isn’t Gordan, Murray and Jokic going through a playoff series and the NBA Finals. (Kraljica and Murphy III) are just getting started in this. They have a bright future together, the two of them. There’s beauty in their cerebral game; they talk it out, some of it is just a feeling of each other.

Borrego stressed that what excites the coaching staff most is not what Murphy III and Quinn are already doing well, but how much remains undiscovered.

“We have two high-IQ players who just keep getting better. They trust each other. I think we’ll find out more over the rest of this season and see what else we can do with them. They deserve credit; they’re a joy to watch and it’s only going to get better from here on out.”

The rise of Murphy III is no longer theoretical. The wing has stepped into an All-Star-caliber role, expanding his offensive responsibilities while retaining the shooting gravitas 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 pressure late and punish defenses for loading up the second. Meanwhile, the queen’s appearance was more startling.

The rookie big man is already drawing comparisons to Nikola Jokic, not because of statistical symmetry or physical similarities, 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 Quinn have formed an unexpected but increasingly central two-man game that the Pelicans believe is worth protecting at all costs.