Pelicans reveal recovery timetable for injured forward

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to brace themselves for several months without Trigga Trey.

The Pelicans announced Thursday that forward Trey Murphy III has undergone a successful partial meniscectomy and also gotten a biologic injection in his left knee. Murphy is now expected to return to basketball activities in roughly 10 to 12 weeks.

The 23-year-old Murphy, one of New Orleans’ best young players and their very best three-point shooter, suffered a meniscus tear this week during an offseason workout. He averaged a career-high 14.5 points per game on an ethereal 48-40-91 shooting line last year and was expected to see an even larger role to begin 2023-24.

While the meniscus repair figures to be better for Murphy’s long-term health, it also means that he won’t return to basketball activities until mid-November at the earliest. By the time that Murphy completes his ramp-up period, it could be December, and he might have already missed close to two months of the regular season.

In Murphy’s absence, the Pelicans will likely give forward Naji Marshall more of a spin. It could also be as simple as plugging Murphy’s hole in the starting lineup with a healthy Zion Williamson … but that is never as easy as it sounds.