Would Trey Murphy Be A Better Fit Than Jonathan Kuminga In Golden State?

Recently, in a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer , he revealed that Golden State has "a strong affinity" for New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III. While it's a difficult season to judge for Murphy and the Pelicans, given all the injuries and dysfunction, he did have a breakthrough 2024-25 campaign, averaging 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

Realistically, any deal for Murphy with Golden State would likely feature Kuminga, meaning it would have to come after his recently signed trade restriction lifts during the regular season. Therefore, if the Warriors have the option to do a trade with Kuminga and other assets for Murphy, the question remains if Murphy would be a better fit than Kuminga on Golden State.

Comparing Murphy and Kuminga's Fit

An important area to look at would be the catch-and-shoot percentages for both players, as having a player who can play off-ball to Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler is important. During the 2024-25 season, Murphy shot 40% on catch-and-shoot threes, while Kuminga was at 34.8%.

Looking at other shooting percentages, Murphy finished with a better overall two-point field goal percentage last season, but Kuminga took the edge in field goal percentage for shots inside 0-10 feet.

Even factoring in other aspects such as defense, shot-creation, playmaking, and contract situation, Murphy just makes more sense, even though he's just over two years older. Given Butler hasn't shown to be a reliable shooter, neither has Kuminga, the outside shooting bonus with Murphy might just be enough to push the needle by itself.

Therefore, if Golden State can, they should trade Murphy.