Trey Murphy injury: Pelicans forward feared to have career-altering knee damage

According to NBA insider and ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, New Orleans Pelicans G Trey Murphy III has suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee. Murphy suffered the injury during a workout and is set to undergo further testing. It's uncertain if the guard will need surgery.

The Trey Murphy injury is bad news for the New Orleans Pelicans who had a disappointing end to the 2022-23 season. Murphy was a rare gem in the team.

He had an outstanding season with the Pelicans. He achieved the historical feat of averaging 60% from the field, 40% from the arc and an efficient 90% from the charity stripe. Only two other players ever achieved this feat in NBA history.

How does Trey Murphy's Injury affect the New Orleans Pelicans?

After a momentum-fuelled ending got the Pelicans into the playoffs in 2022, the 2023 season was a bitter disappointment. The Pelicans were kicked out of the Play-In tournament by the Thunder.

With their star player Zion Williamson's availability still uncertain, they can't afford to lose Trey Murphy. While they still have capable players in Brandon Ingram, CJ Mccollum and Alvaro Jones, their bench is light and time is running out to make an impact.

The meniscus injury suffered by Murphy can take a long time to heal. The report did not elaborate on the details of the injury. Some meniscus tears, particularly for older players, can be career-altering. A mild meniscus tear can take anything from four to 12 weeks to six months to heal.

If Murphy makes a speedy recovery, Zion Williamson gets healthy and Brandon Ingram plays at a high level, there is no reason why the New Orleans Pelicans shouldn't make serious noise this coming season.