The previous article I wrote was all about who I think has a chance to be a LEGIT shooter in the NBA, but I am sure many of you were wondering why Trey Murphy III’s name was not included anywhere on the list.
Well, I do think he has legit shooter potential for sure, but I wanted to do a more in-depth analysis of him. I believe he should be one of the Pistons top targets, if they are able to trade back up into the 1st round.
Playing for two years at Rice before transferring to Virginia for his junior season, Murphy is currently ranked at No. 31 on Tankathon’s and 33rd on Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report’s big board.
Murphy is also ESPN’s 18th best available player in the 2021 draft. This is a good indicator that his range should start in the middle of the first round, and end at the absolute beginning of round two.
At the NBA combine, Murphy measured in at 6-feet-’9.25, weighed in at 206 pounds, with a seven-foot wingspan. His per game stats for the 2020-21 season were as follows:
11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.4 blocks, 62-percent from two-point range, 43.3 percent from three-point distance, 92.7 percent from the free throw line
Also a 67-percent true shooting, 62.8 percent three-point attempt rate, 18.4 percent usage
While just a glance at these stats would scream 3-and-D wing, I think Murphy has some gifts and tools that make that label dismissive of all the things he currently can do on a basketball court. He might also make many believe he cannot grow his game even more.