Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray's injury timeline revealed

The fractured left hand Dejounte Murray suffered in his Pelicans debut Wednesday night will keep him out of action for four to six weeks, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN. Murray has undergone successful surgery on the hand, Charania adds.

Murray injured his hand at some point in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ victory over Chicago, according to Brett Martel of The Associated Press. He didn’t talk to reporters after the game, but CJ McCollum said Murray indicated that the hand was bothering him during the game.

“He looked at me and said his hand didn’t feel right,” McCollum said. “He just continued to play. … He battled through, he played and played well considering those circumstances.”

Despite the injury, Murray was giving the Pelicans the kind of steady backcourt presence they were seeking when they acquired him in an offseason trade with Atlanta. He had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while turning the ball over just once.

While Murray is sidelined, Christian Clark of NOLA writes that Zion Williamson, who frequently ran the offense last season, is expected to receive more ballhandling duties. McCollum and Brandon Ingram will also see more time in that role.

“I hate it for Dejounte and our group,” coach Willie Green said. “We are kind of just getting started, just getting going. But at the same time, we understand that in this league and in life, you’re going to face adversity. The good thing about it is it’s not a long-term injury that will keep him out for a whole season.”

There’s also a financial component to Murray’s injury, Clark adds. His contract includes approximately $1.9M in incentives that are tied to him playing at least 65 games, so they won’t be available if he misses more than 17.

New Orleans is about $1.6M below the luxury tax line, so Murray’s incentives will be crucial in determining whether it’s headed toward being a taxpaying team. Clark points out that the Pelicans are one of two NBA franchises that have never paid the tax, so other moves will likely be made if Murray is able to return in time to reach the 65-game threshold. He will miss 15 games if he’s able to come back exactly four weeks from Friday.