Pelicans Stand Firm as Trey Murphy III Keeps Raising His Price

The New Orleans Pelicans walked off the floor Tuesday with a 120–116 loss to a shorthanded Denver Nuggets team, but the night belonged to Trey Murphy III. With New Orleans continuing to field calls about its young core, Murphy offered a timely reminder of his value by torching Denver for 31 points on an efficient 11-of-18 shooting performance.

League sources have indicated that the Pelicans have set an intentionally steep asking price in any Murphy discussions, a move designed more to deter bidders than invite them. New Orleans sees him as a foundational piece rather than a bargaining chip, even as rival executives circle for opportunities.

Against Denver, that confidence looked well placed. Murphy scored at all three levels, thriving despite constant defensive pressure and a Nuggets game plan clearly centered on slowing him down. The Pelicans may have fallen short on the scoreboard, but Murphy’s night shifted the broader conversation about what it would actually take to pry him loose.

It also drew a telling reaction from the opposing bench — one that revealed just how taxing Murphy has become for teams that see him multiple times each season.

1. Respect from the Opponent

Nuggets head coach David Adelman made no effort to hide his admiration after the game. Denver threw multiple defenders and varied coverages at Murphy, yet he continued to generate clean looks, whether slashing to the rim, finishing in traffic, or spacing the floor. Adelman admitted that Murphy has been a recurring problem in matchups between the two clubs. Preparing for him, he said, requires a disproportionate amount of time and attention compared to most forwards around the league. In a moment of candor, Adelman even joked that he wished Murphy would be traded out of the Western Conference. The logic was simple: facing him twice a year in the East would be far preferable to seeing him in regular rotation — unless, of course, the teams collided in the NBA Finals. The comment, relayed by Denver Post reporter Bennett Durando, was half humor and half professional frustration, but it carried weight. Coaches rarely single out opposing players this directly, especially when trade chatter is swirling.

2. A History of Hurting Denver

Murphy’s dominance against the Nuggets is not a one-off. Last February, he erupted for 41 points against Denver, at the time the highest-scoring game of his career. That performance lingered in Adelman’s memory long after the final buzzer. Just last week, Murphy raised the bar again with a 42-point night against the Los Angeles Lakers, establishing a new personal high. Those performances have created a growing sample size that suggests this is not simply a favorable matchup, but a player ascending into a different tier. For Denver, the pattern has been especially painful. Time and again, Murphy has found ways to puncture one of the league’s most disciplined defensive systems, doing so with a mix of athletic finishes and shot-making that resists conventional schemes. That track record helps explain why the Nuggets coach sounded less amused than exhausted when reflecting on Murphy’s latest showing. It was not just about one game, but about years of damage.

3. Why New Orleans Won’t Blink

Murphy’s appeal extends beyond raw scoring totals. He is effective without monopolizing the ball, fitting seamlessly alongside other creators while still bending defenses with his off-ball movement and finishing ability. That versatility is what makes him so difficult to guard and so coveted around the league. A forward who can stretch the floor, attack closeouts, and finish above the rim without needing isolation touches is rare — and increasingly expensive. The Pelicans are well aware of that scarcity, which is why rival teams have found the asking price unpalatable. New Orleans is not merely negotiating; it is signaling that Murphy is part of its long-term blueprint rather than a short-term asset. For contenders like Denver, the frustration is as much about reality as it is about desire. The Nuggets would gladly welcome Murphy, but the assets required to even start a serious conversation remain out of reach.