Dejounte Murray has seen a lot of head coaches in his NBA career. The veteran guard played under five different head coaches during his time with the Atlanta Hawks alone, and now he’s getting ready for a new voice in New Orleans. When the Pelicans hired Jamahl Mosley this offseason, Murray didn’t need a formal introduction.
Murray and Mosley have history, and it goes back to when Murray was in Atlanta and Mosley was running the Orlando Magic. They faced each other regularly in the Southeast Division, and that familiarity has already made the transition smoother for the Pelicans’ star guard.
“It’s always been mutual respect between me and him,” Murray said in a video posted by the Pelicans. “Especially when I was in Atlanta. We played Orlando a lot, so we’re familiar with each other. I think he’s a great guy. I’m excited to just be around and see him lead by example. I always feel like your head coach has got to be the one leading by example, and then everything falls into place.”
That last part matters more than it might sound. Murray has played for coaches who talk a big game, but he’s always valued the ones who actually live it. Mosley, who spent five seasons as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets before taking over in Orlando, has a reputation for being hands-on and player-first. That approach resonated with Murray right away.
“The only way we can grow together is being together,” Murray said. “So that’s that.”
The challenge for Murray is staying on the court. Since joining the Pelicans, he’s played just 45 total games over two seasons — 31 in 2024-25 and only 14 last year. Injuries have been the story, and for a team that finished 26-56, continuity is everything.
New Orleans is betting that a healthy core of Murray, Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey, Herbert Jones, and rookie Jeremiah Fears can be a playoff team in the West. That’s a lot of moving parts, and Mosley’s job will be to make them fit together.
Mosley was let go by the Magic after a mixed run, but he had some solid seasons there and the Pelicans clearly see a coach who can connect with players and build a culture. New Orleans hasn’t made any big promises yet. But Murray’s buy-in is a good first step, and he sounds ready to go.
The Pelicans open training camp in September, and for the first time in a while, there’s some real optimism around the franchise.
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