The Golden State Warriors have been striking out lately. First LeBron James, then Mario Hezonja – neither one came through, and suddenly their forward-rebuilding plan is stuck in neutral. According to a fresh report from *Basketball Forever*, the Dubs actually approached New Orleans about Trey Murphy III. And guess what? The Pelicans didn't just say no. They countered with a proposal that would make any GM wince: three first-round picks plus a young player. That's a steep price tag, and the talks have stalled.
The Warriors' frontcourt is hurting. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody both sidelined by serious injuries, there's a glaring hole. Draymond Green even went so far as to turn down his $27 million player option this offseason to give the team more flexibility – but so far, nothing concrete has materialized. All they got from the draft was an older rookie, Yaxel Lendeborg.
According to the report, Golden State had also reached out to Boston about Jaylen Brown, and to New Orleans about Murphy III. Both offers were rejected. Reporter Brett Siegel says the Pelicans turned down the Warriors' initial package of two first-round picks, then demanded a third one instead.
Now, let's talk about Trey Murphy III. Drafted 17th overall in 2021, he became a starter in his second season and just had a career year: 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, while knocking down 3.2 threes a night at a 37.9% clip. Not bad for a guy who's still on his rookie deal. But is he worth three first-rounders? The Warriors seem to think not – at least for now.
