Dejounte Murray fractures hand in Pelicans debut

Dejounte Murray fractures hand in Pelicans debut

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray fractured his hand in the Pelicans’ season opener Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed Thursday. It was originally reported that the Pelicans were concerned that would be the prognosis, though a screening made the news official.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray is feared to have a fractured left hand, sources tell ESPN. Difficult opening night injury for Pelicans and Murray, who posted 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in season-opening victory over Chicago. pic.twitter.com/JcDxdoSCKd

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2024

Murray, who turned 28-years-old on Sept. 19, was acquired in the offseason by the Atlanta Hawks in a three-player trade that sent back Dyson Daniels and Larry Nance Jr. The deal was made to solve New Orleans’ long-standing problem of not having a point guard, even though Murray arguably fits more into the combo guard role.

Nevertheless, it was their biggest move of the offseason, so it’s very discouraging news any way you slice the pie.

There is no current timetable for his return, but he will be out indefinitely. He was limited to just 30 minutes, scoring 14 points with eight rebounds, 10 assists and one steal, shooting 4-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.

2024-25 NBA Season Preview: New Orleans Pelicans

Assuming point guard duties will likely be Jose Alvarado, though CJ McCollum will slot back into the “de-facto point guard” role he had most of last year. There’s no great answer to supplement Murray’s production other than to do it collectively, which is easier said than done.

The Pelicans have a manageable schedule to start the season with two consecutive games against the Blazers followed by two in Golden State and four at home against Indiana, Atlanta, Portland and Cleveland, respectively. It will get tougher once mid-November arrives, but it also allows time for them to jell while navigating this situation at hand.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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