New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
Murphy suffered the injury Monday night against the Detroit Pistons, trying to recover a 50-50 ball after a bad pass attempt while being defended by Ausar Thompson.
Detroit cruised to a 46-point victory, 127-81. Cade Cunningham led the way with 24 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Simone Fontecchio had 23 points off the bench. Zion Williamson paced the Pelicans with 30 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
The 24-year-old was in the midst of a career-year, averaging 21.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and just under a block in 52 games. He shot 36.1 percent from three on 8.4 attempts per game.
New Orleans is second from the bottom of the West with an 18-51 record.
Pelicans’ Injury Riddled Season Continues
Herbert Jones is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff. Dejounte Murray is also out for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon. Brandon Ingram was out for an extended period until he got traded. Brandon Boston is currently out with injury. Jose Alvarado has missed significant time, as has Williamson.
It’s yet another year where the talented Pelicans are sitting with a disappointing record relative to its talent level.
The typical recovery period is estimated to be from four to six months.
Tough blow for Trey Murphy III. If surgery is the route taken for this injury, this is typically an arthroscopic procedure in which the labrum is repaired (i.e. sewn to the socket). Typical recovery lands between 4-6 months post-surgery.
— Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D. (@DrNiravPandya) March 18, 2025
Missi, Williamson End Of Season Bright Spots
Missi has had an intriguing rookie season, averaging 8.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 63 games. The Pelicans front office has considered him an untouchable in trade discussions alongside Murphy and Jones.
Williamson, meanwhile, is doing his best to rehabilitate his reputation. He has featured in 10 games since the All-Star break, averaging 23.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and just under a block.
He played in 13 games through the first four months of the season and has now played in 15 games since the start of February.
