The Pelicans entered Thursday's NBA draft with five picks, but much like a year ago it was best not to get too attached.
The Pelicans stood pat at No. 17 and No. 35, selecting Virginia forward Trey Murphy III and Alabama's Herbert Jones. Pelicans GM Trajan Langdon said New Orleans got calls for the 17, but they liked the pick and didn't want to move.
"We got the guy that we wanted," Langdon said after the draft.
Those trade calls worked out a bit better in the second, with the selections at 43 and 51 getting traded shortly after the pick was made. The Pelicans had already traded the No. 53 pick to the 76ers for cash considerations earlier in the day.
But who exactly are Murphy and Jones? Here are a few notes for each.
THE TREY MURPHY FILE
USAT ImagesAGE: 21
MEASURABLES: 6-foot-9, 206 pounds; 7-foot-1 wingspan
POSITION: SF/SG
HOMETOWN: Durham, North Carolina
COLLEGE: Rice (2 seasons); Virginia
PICKED: No. 17 overall
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A TRANSFER TO DEFENSE
USAT ImagesMurphy has the size and length to fulfill one of new coach Willie Green's stated goals for next season: better defense.
The Pelicans were maddeningly inconsistent on the defensive side of the ball in 2020-'21, most notably on the perimeter. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Murphy profiles to be an effective defender to help in those situations. He also arrives to the Pelicans out of a Virginia system that prioritizes defense above all else. The Cavaliers allowed the third-fewest points per game of any NCAA team last season.
Murphy arrived at Virginia as a transfer from Rice, where he played two seasons.
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A PURE SHOOTER
Do any of those numbers above stand out? Of course they do. Murphy comes into the NBA with marksman ability. He hit on an incredible 43% shooting clip on high volume from beyond the 3-point line in his final college season.
He'll have to adjust to the deeper shot in the NBA, but his free throw numbers of close to 93% indicate he's got what it takes to do just that. For a Pelicans team that was as inconsistent shooting the 3-pointer as it was at defending it last year, that'll be a more than welcome addition.
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AND AT NO. 35 OVERALL, THE PELICANS SELECT...
THE HERBERT JONES FILE
USAT ImagesAGE: 22
MEASURABLES: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds; 7-foot wingspan
POSITION: SF/SG
HOMETOWN: Northport, Alabama
PICKED: No. 35 overall
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AN SEC STAPLE
USAT ImagesHerbert Jones won't be an unknown to any fans of Louisiana basketball. The strong Alabama forward/guard dismantled the Tigers in a 3-game sweep this past season, the final game of which came in the SEC Championship. Jones averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds and four assists in those games.
The Pelicans are getting a balanced player in Jones and another well-built defender that plays hard-nosed defense at multiple levels. Jones profiles to be more of an interior player than Murphy and won't be expected to develop into as much of a threat from the perimeter, logging a 28 percent clip from 3-point range in his college career.
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A TIDE REUNION
If and when the Pelicans done their all-red jerseys in the 2021-'22 season, there will be two players reminded of their days in crimson. Pelicans point guard Kira Lewis Jr., last year's No. 13 overall pick, was a teammate of Jones' for two years with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
And one more notable face that says he'll be in town? Their former coach, Nate Oats.
"Great to see [Kira Lewis Jr.] & [Herbert Jones] reunited again," Oats posted after the selection. "Some trips to NOLA definitely in the works."
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Follow Jeff Nowak on Twitter @Jeff_Nowak or contact him by email at jeffrey.nowak@audacy.com
