Dejounte Murray Says He 'Can't Relate' After Josh Hart's Comments on Pelicans Trade

Dejounte Murray says he "can't relate" to New York Knicks guard Josh Hart's statement that he can't imagine a player being happy to be traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Murray said on X he's "been smiling" since the Atlanta Hawks sent him to the Pelicans in July.

Hart said on a Thursday episode of The Roommmates Show that he doesn't "think you'll ever hear anyone say they were excited to get traded to New Orleans."

"I wasn't," Hart said about his 2019 move from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Pelicans.

Hart was traded as part of the three-team trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers.

The Knicks guard, who was on stage with rapper Lil Wayne, said following the trade "the only thing I was excited about was rolling around New Orleans, listening to Lil Wayne, and going to every game."

Hart followed up on his comments by saying on X that his impression of New Orleans changed once he arrived in the city, and that he "loved" his time with the Pelicans.

Hart ended up playing two and a half seasons for the Pelicans before he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the 2022 deal for CJ McCollum.

During Hart's two full campaigns in New Orleans, the Pelicans recorded a combined 61 wins and made no playoff appearances. In contrast, Murray is joining a team that competed in the first round of the 2024 postseason.

That's a better outlook than what Murray was likely seeing in Atlanta, where the Hawks could be considering undergoing a rebuild following his departure. By adding Murray to a starting lineup featuring McCollum, Ingram and Williamson, the Pelicans have every reason to believe they could make it back to the playoffs next spring.

Murray and Hart are set to meet for the first time since Murray's trade from the Hawks on Dec. 1 when the Pelicans travel to face the Knicks on the road.