NBA Insider lists Pelicans player as a “dark horse” for winning a prestigious award

The New Orleans Pelicans have assembled a more than competitive roster with a solid mix of young rising stars and NBA veterans.

As the season approaches, the Pelicans are hoping the organization has found the recipe for success. Furthermore, one of the keys to the team's success could be its willingness to take another leap.

“Assuming Brandon Ingram is traded at some point, (Trey) Murphy should take over a spot in the New Orleans Pelicans starting lineup and increase last year's average of 29.6 minutes per game,” Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes writes.

“If he plays more often alongside the starters, that means defenses can't give him quite as much attention as a perimeter threat or secondary attacker.”

“This dynamic could allow Murphy, who performed impressively last year en route to 14.8 points per game, to produce another attention-grabbing highlight package.”

Murphy was selected No. 17 in the 2021 NBA Draft before being traded to the Pelicans.

The Virginia alum has become a nice rotation player for New Orleans, showing he's more than just a role player.

As the team considers moving on from Ingram, this could create room for even more growth in Murphy's game. Regardless, the striker will play a big role in the team next season.

If everything falls into place with the ACC product, he could be a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player award.

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