Trey Murphy, Boston Celtics

Trey Murphy has emerged as the latest NBA talent to be linked with trade interest from the Boston Celtics.

The New Orleans Pelicans forward has been operating at a borderline All-Star level for the past few seasons. It’s fair to believe that moving to a contending-level roster could take his game to the next level.

Boston could be the ideal landing spot for Murphy. The Celtics have a proven track record for player development, and with Jayson Tatum leading the team, Murphy would have every opportunity to play to his strengths.

With that in mind, here’s a trade proposal that could pry Murphy away from the Pelicans while also triggering the next phase of the Celtics’ retooling process. The trade could look like this:

Boston Celtics Get: Trey Murphy and Dejounte Murray

New Orleans Pelicans Get: Jaylen Brown

Of course, draft assets would also need to change hands to make the deal viable. It’s also worth noting that Boston would be giving up the best player in the deal. However, if the Celtics don’t want to extend Jaylen Brown for an additional two years at $141.9 million, they may float him in trade talks.

Murphy would be a solid replacement for Brown. Furthermore, Murray would plug the gap in Boston’s back court. He already has experience partnering with Derrick White from their time together on the San Antonio Spurs.

Celtics Have A 3-Week Trade Window

During a recent episode of his podcast, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons noted that should the Pelicans decide to part ways with Murphy, a deal would likely need to happen within the next three weeks.

“We assume he’s probably going to get traded over the next three weeks,” Simmons said. “I think Boston is a possibility. We thought whoever lost this matchup (Spurs and Thunder) is a possibility. You have two to three weeks to trade for someone like that.”

By putting a clear-cut timeline on a potential trade, it would appear the New Orleans would be looking to have a deal in place ahead of the upcoming NBA Draft.

Are The Pelicans Looking To Move Up In The Draft

Murphy is arguably the Pelicans’ biggest trade chip. He’s healthy, he’s improved every season, and he fits on most rosters in the NBA. It’s difficult to envision the Pelicans moving on from him without a premium return.

That’s why a potential deal involving Brown, White, or any other roster player doesn’t make sense. The Pelicans putting a timeframe on a potential trade speaks volumes about what they’re looking for: draft assets.

Boston doesn’t have any tangible draft assets to offer for the upcoming draft cycle. Unless a third team sends out picks in a three-team deal, don’t expect the Celtics to emerge as legitimate front-runners for Murphy.

So, while Murphy may or may not be on the move, the Celtics certainly won’t be the top trade partner. They just don’t have the right kind of assets, that is, assuming New Orleans is genuinely focused on the draft.