The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of what I call a “Mosquito season”. This is a year where the “injury bug” sucks the life out of a team’s season, in a similar fashion to a mosquito sucking your blood when it bites you.

On paper, the Pelicans have one of the most talented rosters in the NBA. The problem is that depth has crumbled like a piece of paper someone has rolled into a ball right before they shoot it into a garbage can.

The Pelicans are currently 12-38, which is the second worst record in the western conference. No one expected New Orleans to be among the teams that may qualify for the number one overall pick but injuries have put them in this position.

Last season, New Orleans made it to the playoffs and were swept in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder. This was after their best player, Zion Williamson suffered a very untimely hamstring injury that caused him to miss the entire series.

In the off-season, the Pelicans, acquired Dejounte Murray via trade with the Atlanta Hawks. The biggest concern among basketball fans was who would be the player to come off the bench for the Pelicans.

The projected starting line-up was Murray, C.J. McCollum, Herb Jones, Brandon Ingram, and Williamson. Fans were not aware of how good Yves Missi would be yet.

The Pelicans never got a chance to address the starting line-up because those five players have never been healthy at the same time this season. The Pelicans have had zero games played with Murray, Ingram, Jones, and Williamson, all available.

There is now, zero chance of this happening as Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles tendon and is now out for the season. There is also no timetable for Herb Jones to return from a torn labrum.

Zion Williamson missed a big chunk of the season with a hamstring injury and Brandon Ingram has been out since December 7th with a sprained ankle. Ingram’s absence has hurt the Pelicans on the court but has also provided an opportunity for others to shine.

Shining Through The Darkness

In the absence of Ingram, Trey Murphy III has emerged as a potential star. So far this season, Murphy is averaging 22.6 points, five rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 47% from the floor and 38% from three.

Murphy’s ability to shoot the ball from deep has never been in doubt but he has added so much to his game since coming into the league. This season we are seeing a complete player who is taking full advantage of having the ball in his hands more.

The former 17th overall pick is taking 16.1 shots per game, compared to 10.9 last season. Usually an increase in volume leads to a decrease in efficiency but not for Murphy. Murphy increased his field goal percentage from 44 to 47. He is also shooting a higher percentage from three on more attempts this season.

The biggest expansion in his game has been his ability to put the ball on the ground and hit pull up jumpers or get all the way to the rim and finish. Murphy was once seen as a “3 and D” guy but now has shown the ability to be a go-to option on offense.

Murphy has scored at least 40 points in his last two games. One of these games was against the Boston Celtics who have the fifth ranked defense in the NBA. He is not just feasting on bad defenses, Murphy is playing his best ball against some of the best defenses in the league.

The Impact of Improvement

The improvement in Murphy’s play has made the inevitable exit of Brandon Ingram not as daunting as it once seemed. Murphy is showing the ability to replace Ingram’s production as a scorer while being a better three point shooter.

The team may be able to build around Zion Williamson and Murphy as their 1,2 punch going forward. The potential of Murphy as a second option on a successful team is not a reachable reality.

Pelicans’ fans may want to forget this season but when Trey Murphy III is an all-star next year. This season will be the foundation of that.