Scoring ESPN’s hypothetical Warriors-Pelicans-Jazz trade featuring Trey Murphy III, Jonathan Kuminga

The The Golden State Warriors are featured in the trading market and it’s not hard to see why considering how Jonathan Cumminga seems the most likely player to change teams before the trade deadline. Cummings’ time with the Warriors is long over, with head coach Steve Kerr removing him from the rotation entirely, and landing an impact player with the seventh pick in the 2021 NBA draft has long been a priority for the Dubs.

To that end, It was said that the warriors looked carefully in bloom New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy. Murphy has expanded his game quite a bit and has now become one of the best off-ball shooters in the league, making him a much better fit on the Warriors’ roster than Kuminga ever was.

The The Pelicans, however, have said they intend to hold on their core together, meaning Murphy is expected to remain in the Big Easy after the trade deadline. However, the Warriors could try to change their minds with an offer that meets their asking price.

ESPN put together a hypothetical three-team trade that brings Murphy to the Bay and Cummings to the Big Easy, with Utah Jazz a cameo appearance to facilitate a pay cut. Does the trade make sense for each team involved? Here are ClutchPoints’ ratings for that hypothetical deal.

ESPN’s hypothetical Warriors-Pelicans-Jazz trade featuring Jonathan Kuminga, Trey Murphy

Warriors get: Trey Murphy, Jordan Hawkins

Pelicans acquire: Jonathan Cumminga, Moses Moody, 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 first-round pick (via Warriors, protected 10), 2030 first-round pick (via Warriors, if Nos. 5 through 20)

Jazz acquire: Kevon Looney, 2031 second-round pick (via TOR), 2032 second-round pick (via NOP), cash

Warriors mortgage the future, bet on Trey Murphy’s blossoming star power

Murphy has a four-year contract with the Pelicans, and he is set to make $112 million during that time. In today’s NBA, that’s pretty cheap for a player of his caliber. He’s currently averaging 21.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest on 50/39/90 shooting, and the way he gets those baskets makes him a good fit for any team in need of a dominant yet highly efficient scorer off the ball.

That’s why it’s not a big surprise to hear that the Pelicans aren’t exactly inclined to trade someone like Murphy. He’s only 25, too, so it’s not like he doesn’t belong in New Orleans’ timeline that’s trending toward the younger side. With the likes of Derrick Queen and Jeremiah Fears reaching their prime, Murphy should still be a very productive player on such an affordable contract.

That’s why ESPN parted ways with the Warriors with three first-round picks just to secure Murphy’s services. The Pelicans, despite being one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, have so much leverage in trade talks that it would take a king’s ransom to part with one of their key talents.

As for Dubov, maybe they are it is better to look for an alternative option on the trade market than to go all-in for Murphy. Golden State’s front office has also shown no inclination to be aggressive over the years; if they did, they would have done it a long time ago. Alas, they were trying to at least secure the team in a post-Stephen Curry world, so it doesn’t make much sense to part with so many future first-rounders.

That 2030 first-round pick is something they’d like to keep; as things stand, they have a solid chance of keeping that pick anyway (they keep it if it falls within 1-20). If the season ended today, they would have the 16th overall pick in the draft. It’s hard to imagine them being that much better in four years, as Murphy isn’t the type of player who can carry teams because he relies too much on his teammates for his production.

Jordan Hawkins could be a good rebound project for the Warriors, but they are in no position to give him minutes anyway as they are in a complete rush to try to compete for a title while Curry is still very productive.

Murphy is a good player, but at this price, it’s hard to see the Warriors deciding to go through with this deal. They might be better off trying to acquire Michael Porter Jr., someone who is making nearly $40 million and whose contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 campaign. Porter would cost the Dubs less assets, and you could argue he’s playing better than Murphy anyway.

Grade: C

Pelicans must be very high on Kuminga to make this trade

Kuminga is such a polarizing player; some believe he’s an empty-calorie player who only gets his numbers on under-talented teams. However, some still think he has so much untapped potential that could be unleashed in the right situation.

But do the Pelicans think highly of Kuminga to begin with that they’d want to part with Murphy for someone with as many question marks as the Warriors moving forward?

Getting three first-round picks for Murphy is a real gain for the Pelicans. But those picks, as long as Curry is healthy and productive, likely won’t be higher than 14 or 15 at worst. A first-round pick in 2030 could be a huge windfall, but it’s protected from picks one through five anyway, increasing the upside for such a return.

meanwhile, Kuminga is a cutter who needs the ball in his hands. He can shoot from mid-range and hit the occasional 3-pointer, but he’s at his best when he takes possession and maneuvers to the basket. That, however, is Zaon Williamson’s job. The Pelicans also already have Queen and Fears commanding possession, while Dejounte Murray is another mouth to feed when he returns.

If the Pelicans want to make a quick turnaround next season, keeping Murphy would be enough. Kuminga doesn’t fit this roster at all, and he won’t get the chance to be the star he believes he could be if he lands in New Orleans.

Moody is a solid piece for the Pelicans, but at this point, New Orleans is better off keeping Murphy. A trade package that includes multiple first-round picks should always be available for them as far as Murphy is concerned, but acquiring a player who fits the team much better should be a priority if they were to trade the 25-year-old 3-and-D wing away.

The Pelicans seem very confident in their core, and while competing in the West will be very difficult moving forward, keeping Murphy around, at least through the offseason, seems to be the best course of action.

Grade: C+

The Jazz again benefit from other teams making trades

If there’s a big winner in this whole thing, it’s jazz. They get two second-round picks as well as cash just to absorb Kevon Looney’s contract that runs through the 2026-27 campaign.

Utah isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, especially considering the fact that they just lost by 55 points to the Charlotte Hornets. Using theirs limit space to add even more working versions still remains very insightful. The Jazz have plenty of ways to create cap space this offseason as well, and Looney shouldn’t be too much of a liability anyway given that Utah can simply decline his team option for next season.

Grade: A