Trey Murphy III's 2022-23 NBA Season in Review

Age: 22
NBA experience: Two seasons (two with Pelicans)
Games played/games started: 79/65
Key stats: 14.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.1 spg, 48.4 FG percentage, 40.6 three-point percentage, 90.5 FT percentage

Season-to-season improvement is nothing new for multiple members of the New Orleans roster, including CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, who won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2015-16 and 2019-20, respectively. Murphy came up just shy of being a nominee for the same honor in ’22-23, entering the conversation in March, a bit too late to challenge the likes of Utah’s Lauri Markkanen (increased scoring average by 10.8 points) and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+6.9 ppg). Still, Murphy finished seventh in MIP balloting, after an enormous offensive leap (+8.9 ppg, +9.0 in shooting percentage). He nearly tripled his scoring average from 5.4 as a rookie, while closing the campaign on a tear (shooting splits of 49/42/90 after the All-Star break on 18.4 ppg).

“The step he took, the few steps he took, was really awesome to see,” Pelicans center/forward Larry Nance Jr. said of Murphy’s improvement. “The way he shot, the way his confidence came around, the way he (improved his ballhandling and) put the ball on the deck, finishing. I don’t know how many small forwards led their team in dunks (but) he was one. He almost led us in threes and dunks.” Added Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin on Murphy’s development, “It’s absurd what he’s done.”

As it turns out, Murphy was only scratching the surface of his ability as a rookie. The No. 17 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft was regarded as perhaps the best shooter in his class, but as a first-year pro he finished under 40 percent from the field, inefficiency not uncommon for rookies. In Year 2, a sturdier frame and better ballhandling helped him navigate defenses and go from just 42 percent on two-point shots all the way up to 61 percent inside the arc. He threatened 50/40/90 territory and ultimately registered 48/41/91 in the major shooting categories. “Definitely strength is one thing I understand you have to work on every single year, playing against grown men,” Murphy said of his areas of focus this offseason. “I’m still maturing and growing into my body. Ballhandling once again, shooting off the move (are priorities). I’m just going to expand my game a little more. This year was very informative on what I need to work on for next year.”

Pelicans team reporter Erin Summers joins the podcast to recap New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III's 2022-23 NBA season.

Murphy three-pointers made after the All-Star break, ranking third in the NBA. The only players with more trifectas during the same span were Golden State’s historic backcourt duo of Klay Thompson (107) and Steph Curry (88).

Murphy shooting percentage from the foul line after the All-Star break, ranking third in the NBA (minimum 70 makes). Only Dallas guard Kyrie Irving (93.4) and Portland guard Damian Lillard (90.6) shot at a higher rate from the charity stripe on greater volume than Murphy.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better display of perimeter shooting efficiency anywhere than Murphy’s 32-point game in Crypto.com Arena. He shot 10/12 from three-point range, coming up one made trey shy of tying McCollum’s franchise record, and went 11/14 overall.

With Ingram sidelined, Murphy staked the Pelicans to a 30-point halftime lead by pouring in 25 points prior to intermission. He rang up a career-best 41 points in a total of 30 minutes, going 9/14 from beyond the arc. New Orleans outscored its guests by 44 points when Murphy was on the floor.

Murphy’s first big breakout night of the season featured him pouring in 30 points in a rout over the West’s eventual No. 3 seed. The Pelicans led by 28 through three quarters, with Murphy needing only 11 total shot attempts to get his 30. He went 6/8 on three-point looks.