Pelicans ‘forcing the issue’ with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III amid trade rumors

The wildly optimistic New Orleans Pelicans have spent years searching for the right on-court chemistry around various All-Stars. Lineups have been shuffled, roles have been redefined, and offensive identities have been rewritten around disappointing news stories. Now, quietly and decisively, the Pelicans believe they have found their most sustainable star pairing in Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. Thankfully, James Borrego is confident that belief is being validated possession by possession.

Opponents are officially on notice for the last 40 games.

“(Williamson and Murphy III together) is a tough cover. Murph and Z are playing at a high level, and they trust each other in that two-man game we have going,” Borrego explained. “They’re taking on more leadership, more responsibility there. And I trust them. We trust them to make the right play.”

For a franchise that has often struggled with continuity around its franchise cornerstones, trust is the operative word. A healthy Williamson has always warped defenses with his gravity at the rim, but in Murphy III, the two-time All-Star finally has a shooter who not only stretches the floor but understands how to weaponize that gravity in real time.

A win over the Washington Wizards was a microcosm of what the Pelicans now envision as their offensive backbone. Williamson relentlessly attacked downhill, forcing help defenders to collapse, and Murphy III punished every hesitation from the perimeter.

“Zion made big plays down the stretch,” Borrego said. “He got to the rim, and kicked out (vs. the Wizards). I think when I watch this film, it’s going to be a lot of sharing the basketball and moving it.  We trusted in each other a bit more, and they were fantastic.”

Williamson barreling into the paint, two defenders stepping up, and Murphy relocating into open air for a clean look is probably the best offense that can be built. Derik Queen’s potential is great, but the Pelicans will need another season to find the right balance. The first part of that process is easy, and it’s why the Pelicans have found a few wins as well.

Murphy III’s recent hotstreak boils down to having a proactive mindset.

“Really just trying to find shots, that’s it,” Murphy III stated. “Try to get up more threes, that’s really all I can attribute it to…Just being aggressive, being aggressive, and guys finding me. Then it’s taking advantage of my opportunities, not turning down any shots. It’s being aggressive and forcing the issue almost.”

That aggressiveness is precisely what makes the pairing so devastating. Murphy is not waiting for plays to be run for him. He is hunting space. Every time Williamson draws a second defender, Murphy is already moving, sliding along the arc, lifting from the corner, or drifting into a passing lane that turns a help rotation into a defensive breakdown.

For Williamson, that changes everything. In previous seasons, help defenders could sag off non-shooters or clog the paint, daring New Orleans to beat them from the outside. That calculus no longer works when Murphy is on the floor. Leave him for even a fraction of a second, and the shot is already gone.

Borrego’s comments about leadership matter as much as the Xs and Os. Williamson and Murphy are not simply complementary talents; they are starting to dictate the flow of the offense. When Zion decides to attack, “Trigga Trey” is reading the same coverage. When Murphy III lifts for a three, the Williamson knows whether to roll, seal, or reset.

It is a partnership built on shared reads rather than scripted actions. In a league increasingly defined by two-man games like Jokić and Murray, Tatum and Brown, LeBron and Luka, the Pelicans believe they have their own version. Zion Williamson’s rim pressure and Trey Murphy III’s shooting gravity force defenses to make impossible choices, and every wrong choice leads to a high-value shot.

That is why splitting the pair up at the NBA Trade Deadline for anything less than full price would be the worst shot the Pelicans can take this season.

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