“We try not to make excuses about who is available. Every team is going to deal with having guys in and out over the course of the season,” said Pelicans HC Willie Green, when addressing why both Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray were game-time decisions for the season opener. Unlike Williamson, who was dealing with an illness, doubt about Murray’s availability was not due to any ailment. He was tending to a family emergency. Despite everything, he came up and did his best to prevent the Chicago franchise from securing the win. Unfortunately, it came at a cost that might make Murray a name on the Injury Report for the upcoming weeks.

Earlier today, Shams Charania broke the news that the Pelicans shooting guard/point guard is reportedly “feared to have a fractured left hand,” via undisclosed sources. This would be the last thing they would need, as certain expectations would’ve been placed on their newest acquisition.

Dejounte Murray was acquired by the 8th seeding Western Conference franchise from last season at a cost that can in no way be considered cheap. After all, the Pelicans had to give up Dyson Daniels, EJ Liddell, Larry Nance Jr, and Cody Zeller (sign-and-trade), accompanied by an additional two first-round picks, simply for just one player, who’s on a $120 million deal.

Despite this, Murray didn’t waste any time in proving his worth, proceeding to average 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5 assists over 3 games in the preseason. He improved his numbers in the opener against the Bulls, securing a score of 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists in 30 minutes. While he struggled a bit with his shooting, as he only made 4-15 field goals and 0-3 three-pointers, the shooting guard still made 6-7 free throws.

The Pelicans have faced enough trouble because of injured players over the last couple of seasons. Before the Lakers had to deal with the troubles of the reported ‘injury-prone’ Anthony Davis, he was the New Orleans side’s responsibility.

While Zion Willamson played his most number of games for the franchise (70) during the previous season, injuries prevented him from making most of the 2020 and 2023 seasons, and he could only play for 24 and 29 games, respectively.

Now, Dejounte Murray may join the list of other players who may be out for the early part of the season, with Trey Murphy III also on the injury report in light of a hamstring strain, and Jose Alvarado holding a ‘day-to-day’ status because of a right knee contusion.

However, the player’s absence during the upcoming season solely depends on the severity of his injury.

How long would Dejounte Murray be out?

The update from Shams Charania only highlights the possibility of a fractured hand. Since the news broke, speculation has arisen on when exactly Dejounte Murray sustained the injury, with some speculating that it took place even before tip-off.

If that is true, and the 28-year-old continued playing for a 30-minute duration, it would indicate that the injury is not that severe. Therefore, Murray could only be absent for a couple of games. Given his status as the primary point guard for the Pels, who averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.4 assists last season with the Hawks, coach Willie Green may not want to keep him benched for long.

At the same time, however, even the basic of hand fractures can keep a player benched for long. According to a report by the NBA, metacarpal fractures have resulted in an average absence of 57 days for patients who have had to treat the ailment operatively, while the same duration is 26 days for those who don’t have to undergo the medical procedure.

After Stephen Curry broke a bone in his left hand in just four games of the 2019-20 NBA season and underwent surgery to fix the ailment, he was ruled out for almost 3 months, which is half of the regular season! Therefore, until an official update, all that Pelicans fans can do is speculate.

The Pelicans are not without any backup point guards, as Jose Alvarado can take DM’s place. With both Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III still out, however, the scoring may not be as efficient, which in turn may lead to a slump from early in the season itself.