Dejounte’s hot return
Dejounte Murray has been described as “incredible” in his post-return stretch for the Pelicans, a narrative gaining traction alongside other late-season storylines like Jayson Tatum’s push for recognition Murray post-return praise.
Murray returned to the Pelicans’ lineup on Feb. 23, 2026 after roughly 13 months rehabbing a ruptured right Achilles and scored 13 in that comeback nba.com. Across seven games since his season debut he’s averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds in about 26.5 minutes per contest, according to ESPN’s game logs espn.com. That stretch has come with a 60.8% true‑shooting percentage and a career‑high 28.4% usage rate in the sample, per Sports Illustrated’s analysis of his post‑return numbers si.com. Interim coach James Borrego publicly called Murray a “warrior” while praising his competitiveness after the Mar. 4 road game in Los Angeles si.com. Murray followed with a 27‑point, five‑rebound, six‑assist, two‑steal performance in New Orleans — punctuated by a game‑changing dagger three and a viral “standing over” moment in the Mar. 11 win over Toronto pelicandebrief.com. Media and local analysts say that small sample is already reshaping front‑office thinking: Sports Illustrated reported the Pelicans are +9.6 in net rating with Murray on the floor and noted his $32.8 million salary due next season as a factor in roster decisions si.com. PelicanBrief argues his 7‑4 run since the All‑Star break and clear locker‑room impact make him a player New Orleans must consider keeping as it weighs a rebuild versus retaining veteran leadership pelicandebrief.com.
