Would I or wouldn’t I? That is the question. Ever since reports surfaced earlier today linking the Phoenix Suns to disgruntled New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray, I’ve had plenty of friends reaching out to ask whether I’d pull the trigger on a potential deal involving Jalen Green. And I understand why they’re asking. If there’s anybody who’s been more vocal about the belief that Jalen Green doesn’t belong in the Suns’ starting five, I’d certainly be a contender for that title.
So a straight-up
swap of Green for Murray makes sense, right? Not so fast.
I understand the appeal. Bringing in Murray would theoretically provide Phoenix with a more traditional point guard, allowing the team to reestablish some semblance of positional clarity and better define the responsibilities of the players surrounding Devin Booker. And who knows? Maybe it would work. A straight-up deal would also save the Suns some money, which is certainly beneficial from a salary cap perspective, although it doesn’t exactly put any additional cash in my pocket.
Murray is somebody I’ve been thinking about since last summer. We’ve discussed potential scenarios involving him for quite some time, and no matter how many times I revisit the possibility, I keep arriving at the same conclusion: I’ll pass on that, thank you.
My hesitation begins with Murray’s health. He suffered an Achilles injury in February 2025, and there’s still uncertainty surrounding whether he can return to the player he was before that injury. That’s a significant concern when you’re discussing acquiring a guard whose effectiveness has historically relied on his mobility, quickness, and ability to operate on both ends of the floor.
And even before the injury, was Murray really a game-altering player? He was a serviceable guard with a defensive reputation, someone capable of contributing in multiple areas without necessarily elevating the overall ceiling of the teams he played for. The last time he was impactful was when he was in a Greg Popovich system that elevates guard play, and even then the team wasn’t winning much with him.
Maybe a player with his skill set would fit more naturally alongside Booker than Green currently does. Considering Green’s $36.3 million salary and declining perceived value, there’s certainly an argument that swapping one distressed asset for another could make sense from a basketball operations standpoint.
But then there’s everything else. Murray’s recent public frustration with the situation in New Orleans, including allegations that he has used burner accounts to comment on videos, gives me a familiar and uncomfortable feeling. I call it PTKD. Post-Traumatic KD Disorder.
Say what you want about Jalen Green; we don’t see him coming unhinged online when people challenge his fit.
One of the things I’ve genuinely appreciated about this current iteration of the Phoenix Suns is how relatively quiet they’ve been away from the basketball court. Outside of a few entertaining trolling commercials from Dillon Brooks, this group has largely avoided the public drama that surrounded previous versions of the franchise. They’re not regularly lashing out at fans. They’re not creating unnecessary distractions through social media. They’re not turning every criticism into a public confrontation. They appear to handle their business internally, and I have tremendous respect for that.
Perhaps that appreciation comes from personal experience. I’ve been on the receiving end of Kevin Durant’s verbal lashings because I dared to express an opinion about the basketball team I cover. My apologies. I have opinions, I have a platform to express them, and that’s precisely what I intend to do. As Don Draper might remind these players, that’s what the money is for.
Now, perhaps a change of scenery would do wonders for Murray. Maybe getting out of New Orleans, joining a different organization, and playing alongside Booker would provide the reset he needs, both professionally and personally. That’s entirely possible.
When evaluating a potential acquisition, I keep returning to the same fundamental question I’ve been asking about Jalen Green: Does he make your basketball team better? And with Murray, I’m not convinced the answer is yes.
When you examine his time in Atlanta and New Orleans, his on/off impact has generally been underwhelming. He’s spent much of that period posting negative net rating results, raising questions about how much his individual production actually translates into improved team performance.
That’s what makes this entire conversation so fascinating. In theory, the Suns would be acquiring a player with a negative statistical impact to replace another player with a similarly negative impact. You’re essentially exchanging one set of problems for another, hoping that the new problems are somehow easier to manage. I’ll take the guy with a better attitude every day out of the week.
There are potential advantages, of course. Murray would be cheaper, providing some financial flexibility. His presence could help clarify the responsibilities within the starting lineup, allowing Booker to operate more naturally in his preferred role while Murray handles additional facilitating duties. Even that doesn’t solve every issue with the roster. The overlapping skill sets of Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks would still exist. The Suns would still have problems with size, rebounding, and interior production. There would be no guarantee that Murray’s arrival would suddenly create the offensive connectivity Phoenix has been searching for.
So where do I ultimately land? I think the Suns should wait.
If Murray is disgruntled today, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll still be disgruntled two months from now. His desire for a change of scenery doesn’t necessarily create an obligation for Phoenix to rush into a transaction, especially when the player they’d be acquiring comes with legitimate questions of his own. Meanwhile, the Suns still have an opportunity to evaluate Jalen Green and determine whether there’s a way to make his skill set work within the current roster.
Quite honestly, I believe the best immediate solution is moving Green to the bench. Allow him to operate with the second unit, where he can play a style more familiar to him without constantly navigating the responsibilities and tendencies of Devin Booker. Give him an opportunity to rebuild his confidence, establish some offensive rhythm, and continue developing the distribution skills the organization clearly wants him to improve.
The Suns’ bench has already demonstrated a greater understanding of its collective identity. The players know their responsibilities, understand how to complement one another, and have shown an ability to sustain productive stretches without relying on one individual to orchestrate everything. Perhaps placing Green in that environment would help him develop comfort and confidence, ultimately making him a more effective contributor when his minutes overlap with the starters’.
If it doesn’t work? Well, at least Phoenix will have gathered additional information before making another significant roster decision. No need to make a trade just to make a trade. Isn’t that what got us into this mess?
The reality is that there’s no obvious correct answer here. Green hasn’t demonstrated that he’s the right fit. Murray hasn’t demonstrated that he’d necessarily be a better one. Both players carry significant salaries, legitimate concerns, and enough uncertainty to make any potential transaction a gamble. And if the Pelicans and Suns ultimately decide to swap them, what exactly are we accomplishing?
“Here’s your problem. We’ll take it off your hands if you take ours.” “Thank you very much. Have a nice day.” I like our problem better. Green is younger and more athletic, seems to be a better locker room guy, is less injury-prone, and seems to be simply having a hard time navigating his new role.
The Suns have a roster that needs work, and Jalen Green hasn’t made the transition Phoenix hoped he would. But that doesn’t mean Dejounte Murray is the answer. There’s a difference between identifying a problem and finding a solution. Swapping two players with question marks attached to their names might make the transaction look productive, but it doesn’t necessarily make the basketball team any better. How about we focus on getting some rebounding, eh? Suns are 9th in assists. They’re dead last in rebounding. Let’s focus on fixing what’s broken.
Give Green a chance to find his footing in a different role. Give Murray and the Pelicans some time to sort through their situation. The Suns don’t have to be the organization that solves everybody else’s problems, especially when they have enough of their own.
