Report: Pacers Want to Trade for Pelicans' Trey Murphy III

The Indiana Pacers are interested in trading for New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. 

The issue is that the Pelicans have a very high asking price for Murphy III.

"External trade interest in New Orleans' Trey Murphy III remains intense, league sources say," Stein wrote. "Yet I was told this week that the inquiries have all been of an inbound nature. League sources say that the Pelicans have not offered Murphy anywhere and that this is the first time their new front office regime headed by Joe Dumars has been truly willing to field offers for Murphy. As one team interested in Murphy put it to me this week: 'They want a lot.' Two teams known to have expressed interest in the 25-year-old sharpshooter, I'm told, are Detroit and Indiana."

Murphy III is one of the best two-way forwards in the NBA. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Pelicans this season while shooting 47.0% from the field, 37.9% from beyond the arc and 88.6% from the free-throw line. The 25-year-old would be a terrific fit next to Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana. 

The Pacers have been linked to Murphy III in the past. They just don't have the trade assets required to get him. 

Murphy III will make $27 million next season. He doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract. The North Carolina native has career averages of 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He's a three-level scorer who can defend positions 1-4 and has one of the prettiest jumpers in the league. 

Haliburton didn't play for the Pacers this season because of the Achilles tendon tear he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Without their best player, Indiana won only 19 games.

The Pacers should be a playoff team again next season, with Haliburton back in the lineup. Indiana acquired Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers at this year's trade deadline. Zubac, Haliburton and Pascal Siakam will be the Pacers' "Big 3" next season.

If Indiana trades for Murphy III, the team could return to the NBA Finals next season. A starting lineup of Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Murphy III, Siakam and Zubac looks very, very dangerous on paper. 

Pacers Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Pacers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.