Pelicans News: Dejounte Murray's Injury Timetable and Roster Moves
Dejounte Murray's Injury Timetable
New Orleans Pelicans star Dejounte Murray suffered a sprained left ankle in the team's preseason opener against the Toronto Raptors. An MRI confirmed the injury and Murray will be re-evaluated in two weeks. The Pelicans are hopeful that Murray will be able to return to action in time for the regular season opener on Oct. 19, but if he misses any time, it would be a big blow to the team's hopes of making a playoff run. Murray was acquired by the Pelicans in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason and was expected to be a key part of the team's backcourt alongside Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. In his first preseason game with the Pelicans, Murray scored 10 points and dished out five assists in 19 minutes.Roster Moves
In addition to Murray's injury, the Pelicans have also made a few other roster moves in recent days. The team waived guard Kira Lewis Jr. and forward Willy Hernangomez to make room for Murray and center Jaxson Hayes, who was acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings. Lewis Jr. was the Pelicans' first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft, but he has struggled to find a consistent role with the team. He averaged just 5.4 points and 2.9 assists per game last season. Hernangomez was acquired by the Pelicans in a trade with the Utah Jazz in February. He averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 23 games with New Orleans. Hayes was the Pelicans' first-round pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season. The Pelicans now have 15 players on their roster, including two-way players John Butler and Dereon Seabron.