Dejounte Murray Suffers Season-Ending Achilles Injury

The injury occurred in the first quarter of Friday’s game against Boston. Murray drove to the basket, pulled up for a floater, and landed awkwardly. He immediately grabbed the back of his right leg and went down without any contact. After limping off the court, he headed straight to the locker room.

The Pelicans haven’t officially confirmed the diagnosis yet, with head coach Willie Green saying after the game that Murray would undergo imaging before the team provides an update. However, ESPN’s Shams Charania has also reported that it’s indeed an Achilles tear. 

It has been a brutal first year in New Orleans for Murray. The 28-year-old, acquired from Atlanta in an offseason trade, faced personal and physical challenges from the start. He stepped away from the team right before the season when his mother suffered a stroke, and then, in the first game of the regular season, he broke his left hand.

After missing 18 games due to the hand injury, Murray struggled to regain form, shooting a career-low 39.3% from the field over 30 games before Friday. Meawhile, the Pelicans have been hit hard by injuries across the board, leading to a disastrous 12-37 start.

This season is already a wash for New Orleans, but Murray’s long-term recovery is also a concern. Achilles injuries typically require a lengthy rehab process, meaning he might not be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season. He’s under contract for two more guaranteed years, with a player option for 2027-28.

With Murray sidelined, the Pelicans will have to rely more on CJ McCollum for playmaking, while Jose Alvarado is expected to see increased minutes. Alvarado replaced Murray in the lineup for the second half of Friday’s game.To make matters worse, New Orleans won’t be able to apply for a disabled player exception to replace Murray, as the deadline to do so passed on Jan. 15.