NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III has agreed to a four-year, $112 million contract extension, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.
Murphy is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Without the extension, the 6-foot-8 wing would have been slated to become a restricted free agent next offseason.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Pelicans announced only that Murphy had signed a multiyear extension without disclosing specifics on the number of years or financial terms.
“The goal all along was to make sure that we kept Trey here," Pelicans coach Willie Green said after practice on Monday. "So, there’s excitement all the way around.”
The 24-year-old Murphy, a 2021 first-round draft choice out of Virginia, averaged a career-high 14.8 points last season, when he played in 57 games with 23 starts.
He has shot 39.2% from 3-point range during his three seasons and has shown a knack for slashing to the hoop for the kind of soaring, authoritative dunks that have gotten him a past invitation to the NBA All-Star weekend dunk contest.
“Trey is an unbelievable human being — just high-level character,” Green said. "Then (there is) his size and talent, his ability to guard multiple positions.”
Murphy strained his right hamstring during the second practice of training camp in Nashville earlier this month.
He is not expected to be ready to play when New Orleans opens the regular season against Chicago on Wednesday.
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Brett Martel, The Associated Press
