Height; 6’8

Weight; 210

Team; New Orleans Pelicans

Age; 24

Trey Murphy III was among the few players ever to post a 50-40-90 season in college. He achieved this remarkable feat by playing complimentary catch-and-shoot basketball as a Wing. Murphy III has brought that style of play, efficiency, and scoring touch to the NBA as a professional. He is a smooth and efficient scorer due to spending more time in college polishing his game. He played two seasons at Rice before transferring to Virginia, where he posted the 50/40/90 season on an 11-point per Game average.

STRENGTHS;

SIZE;

6’8 Right-hander with a long wingspan and has good size for the NBA small forward position. This size advantage gives him a high arc on his jumper paired with his quick release, making Trey Murphy III one of the NBA’s best catch-and-shoot players.

OFF BALL SCORING;

Trey Murphy’s 3-point shooting is among the best in the NBA. He takes shots with so much confidence, even a few steps beyond the 3PT perimeter line. Murphy’s constant off-ball movement makes him a constant threat. Murphy excels in the following off-ball actions;

1. Catch and shoot 

Murphy III is constantly moving, cutting through defenses, and looking for shooting space. The Pelicans coaching staff have designed countless cuts and slash actions that are engineered to create clean looks for their young sharpshooter. Defenders hoping to stop Murphy not only have to chase him around the court as he runs looking for open space, but they must also not leave him open to double team Zion or any other Pelican Big posting up in the lane; defenders must also stay right in front of him because Murphy is known to attempt the transition three with confidence these off-ball skills work well paired with one of the highest and fastest releases in the league.

2. Off-ball movement with screens – Curl

A catch-and-shoot sniper with remarkable speed, the Pelicans coaching staff have set up many screen actions to get their young shooter a moment of space to take advantage of his elite shooting ability; if not spotting up, Murphy III will be on the move off-ball

weaving and curling around screens and finding clean catch-and-shoot looks on the perimeter.  If a defender just turns their head to look elsewhere for a moment, it’s already too late. Murphy will seek out the open space and prepare for a catch-and-shoot opportunity. Murphy also excels on the dribble handoff into a 3PT shot. He touches the ball for a few moments only but deals excellent damage in that short period on-ball

3. Spot-up shooting –

A threat off the ball to make an open three can not be left open. The Pelican coaching staff usually places Murphy on the perimeter as Zion posts up, forcing the defense into a compromising position. Murphy’s spot-up shooting is so elite that just his taking a position on the perimeter demands the defense’s respect and attention. Murphy III is shooting over the league average from every area of the perimeter. As a spot-up shooter, corner threes have become a massive part of his game.

He confidently takes contested shots and knows how to use the pump fake to move the defender and attack the open space behind him. He is relocating throughout the game, searching for the open space to take a catch-and-shoot 3PT attempt. He can get hot and go off, as demonstrated in his 41-point scoring explosion last season;

4. Off Ball Playmaking

Cuts, curls, and dribble hand-offs showcase his skills as an off-ball playmaker. Even if he does not touch the ball often or that much, the defense has to account for him. This threat creates opportunities for his teammates to score off slip screens and attack open spaces.

He has unwavering confidence when he pulls up from beyond the arc in transition. He can attack the rim and is an efficient FT Shooter, creating his own shooting opportunity.

WEAKNESSES;

1. On Ball Playmaking;

CJ McCollum can serve as an example. McCollum used to play off-ball and use cuts, curls, and screens to set up Damian Lillard, but over time, his own on-ball playmaking improved. Murphy needs to affect the game in other ways, not just elite shooting and off-ball playmaking. He knows how to play make after forcing mismatch after the switch on screens.

2. Struggles to create his own shot;

This trait is what separates a shooter like Steph Curry from other 3-point shooters. Murphy is not capable of creating his own 3PT attempt off the dribble. He has to be set up with a screen, and coaches have to set up a spot-up or drift into an open space. This requires commitments and sacrifices from his teammates to set him up. They usually pass up on their own shot to move the ball and seek Murphy out at the perimeter.

3. Mid-Range Weakness

Murphy also lacks a reliable Mid-range scoring game, usually preferring to shoot a three or drive all the way to the basket. Murphy could become a more lethal scorer by adding floaters or turn-around jumpers in the midrange game

4. Defense

He cannot be trusted to guard the other team’s best option and is often hidden on defense because he is a below-average NBA defender.

Conclusion

A three and D role player is a solid floor, but Murphy III’s ceiling is intriguing. 

NBA Comparison: Duncan Robinson