NEW ORLEANS — With the 17th overall pick in the NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select Trey Murphy III, a shooting guard out of Virginia.
Shooting has been a major need for New Orleans and Murphy is one of the best shooters in this year's draft. He shot 50.3% overall and and 43.3% from 3-point range. He also was a 92.7% free throw shooter.
Murphy played one season at Virginia after transferring from Rice.
Murphy is tall for a guard at 6'9 with a 7-foot wingspan. He projects to play as a Forward in the NBA, filling the role of a 3-and-D wing, something the Pelicans desperately need.
Second Round
The Pelicans picked a lock-down defender to start the second round, taking Alabama's Herbert Jones with the 35th overall pick.
Jones was the SEC player of the Year in 2021 and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
He averaged 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks while leading Alabama to the Sweet 16.
The Memphis Trade
The Pelicans made the first major trade of the 2021 NBA Draft earlier this week when they sent Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams, two first-round picks and a second-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, a first round pick and a second-round pick
Overall, the Pelicans got:
- Jonas Valanciunas
- The 17th overall Pick
- The 51st overall pick
The Grizzlies got:
- Eric Bledsoe
- Steven Adams
- The 10th overall pick
- The 40th overall pick
- The Lakers first-round pick (2022)
The trade does not become official until Aug. 6, so the NBA draft will show the Pelicans drafting at No. 10, but that player is going to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Rest of the Draft
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