The New Orleans Pelicans are acquiring L.A. Clippers wing Bennedict Mathurin on a two-year, $16 million contract, setting the stage perfectly for the Golden State Warriors to pull off their dream mid-season trade.
Trey Murphy III remains a member of the Pelicans despite trade rumors going back over 12 months, but the Mathurin move on Wednesday may make the front office more willing to consider a deal on the 26-year-old.
Bennedict Mathurin signing sets stage for Warriors' Trey Murphy III trade
Mathurin will give New Orleans another scoring option on the wing, having averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his 54 combined games with the Indiana Pacers and Clippers last season.
It appears the former sixth overall pick will start in a bench role, but it's entirely feasible that his addition makes the Pelicans more open to trading Murphy if they believe Mathurin can step into a larger role while picking up draft assets from Golden State or another team.
Murphy has long been viewed as a dream target for the Warriors, having been linked to the former 17th overall pick since last summer. Not only does his scoring and overall skillset align with what Golden State need, but he's also at the right age to contribute immedielty while also giving the franchise a piece for the long term.
Above all else though, Murphy's contract (three-years, $87 million remaining) is incredibly team-friendly and aligns perfectly with Draymond Green's salary after the veteran forward signed a one-year, $27.7 million deal in free agency.
Warriors will have obvious Trey Murphy III trade proposal
The idea of trading Green and picks to the Pelicans for Murphy is one that instantly arose among the minds of many Warrior fans from the moment the former Defensive Player of the Year signed his free agency deal.
Green won't be trade-eligible until December 15, but there are already question marks over his future after Golden State were going to include him in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo at February's mid-season deadline. They also weren't willing to give Green a multi-year extension at a lower annual salary this summer unless they landed LeBron James, while the 36-year-old opened the door to a mid-season move by waiving his implied no-trade clause.
The Pelicans won't have any interest in Green, yet they and the Warriors might be able to meet on the right package of draft assets to reach a deal. With Mathurin now part of the equation, perhaps the Pelicans will come to the realization it's now time to cash in on Murphy while his value remains sky high.
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