Just days after the Boston Celtics appeared to emerge as one of the strongest contenders for Trey Murphy III, NBA insider Jake Fischer believes their pursuit has cooled significantly.
Speaking during a Bleacher Report livestream Monday, Fischer said he no longer expects Boston to be among the teams aggressively pushing to acquire the New Orleans Pelicans forward.
“I really don’t think that Boston’s still knocking down that door right now to get Trey Murphy either,” Fischer said.
The update represents a notable shift from earlier this offseason, when Boston’s blockbuster trade of Jaylen Brown appeared to put the franchise in prime position to meet New Orleans’ asking price.
Jaylen Brown Trade Changed the Equation
Getty The Boston Celtics dramatically reshaped their roster by trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 36-year-old Paul George and draft capital.
Last week, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that the Celtics remained among the teams monitoring Murphy’s availability after acquiring Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Brown.
Scotto also reported that league sources believed the Pelicans had lowered their asking price from the equivalent of four first-round picks to three.
That combination dramatically strengthened Boston’s position.
The Celtics suddenly controlled five tradable first-round picks and seven second-round picks, giving president of basketball operations Brad Stevens ample flexibility to construct one of the league’s strongest offers without exhausting the franchise’s future draft cupboard.
At the time, Boston appeared to have both the motivation and the assets to pursue Murphy aggressively.
Pelicans No Longer Expected to Move Murphy
Fischer now believes the landscape has changed.
“At this point in time, I am working with the belief that the Pelicans want to keep Trey Murphy,” Fischer said. “This whole offseason shadow around him kind of got blown out of proportion by them letting other teams around the draft believe he was available, but there just isn’t really a market for him at that price point that the Pelicans are asking for.”
Fischer’s comments suggest New Orleans successfully generated widespread league interest before discovering that few teams were willing to meet its valuation.
Without that market materializing, the Pelicans now appear more inclined to keep one of their foundational young players.
Celtics Could Still Revisit Talks
That doesn’t erase why Murphy appealed to Boston.
The 26-year-old is entering the second season of a four-year, $112 million contract after averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 37.9% from 3-point range during a breakout campaign.
His length, outside shooting and defensive versatility would fit seamlessly alongside Jayson Tatum and newly acquired Paul George, making him an ideal two-way wing for Brad Stevens’ evolving roster.
For now, however, Fischer’s latest reporting suggests the Celtics are no longer leading the charge.
Boston still possesses the draft capital to re-engage if New Orleans lowers its asking price.
But unless the Pelicans soften their stance—or another development reshapes Murphy’s market—the blockbuster scenario that seemed increasingly plausible only days ago appears to have lost momentum.
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