New Orleans Pelicans DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

The Toronto Raptors have traded guard/forward Bruce Brown to the New Orleans Pelicans. Brown, an NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets in 2023, was shipped out alongside Kelly Olynyk and a couple of draft picks for former All-Star Brandon Ingram. Toronto picked up Brown only 13 months ago from the Indiana Pacers. He ended up playing just 52 games for the team, missing the first couple of months in 2024-25 with a knee injury. Brown has averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in the current campaign. A move to New Orleans might boost his numbers, as the Pelicans have battled injuries throughout the season. Brown is on a $23 million expiring contract.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The Pelicans have been leaning more on Alvarado with Dejounte Murray (Achilles) done for the season. His absence means that the Pelicans will likely need to use a committee approach at the guard spot. Jordan Hawkins, Javonte Green, and Antonio Reeves should all see increased roles. None of them have great streaming appeal, but Hawkins is probably the best choice of the three.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown (face) will play against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. After being hit in the face during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Bruce did not practice on Monday and entered Tuesday with a questionable designation. However, he has been cleared for action. With RJ Barrett (concussion) unavailable, Brown could see a few extra shifts in the rotation. The veteran is averaging 8.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 steals in 19.9 minutes this season.

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown (face) has been labeled as questionable for Tuesday's clash against the New York Knicks. Brown was hit in the nose in Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers and wasn't feeling well enough on Monday to practice. Ja'Kobe Walter stands to benefit from Brown's absence on Tuesday. The 20-year-old rookie has regained some momentum in recent games, scoring double-digit points in back-to-back outings. However, with Toronto's big guns all healthy, Walter is not someone fantasy managers can count on.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray (Achilles) will miss the remainder of the season. The former Atlanta Hawk exited Friday's two-point loss to the Boston Celtics due to a non-contact injury, with further testing revealing a torn right Achilles. Murray has been plagued by multiple injuries, including missing a month to begin the season due to a hand injury. He also struggled on the scoring end, averaging 17.9 points, nearly five points less than last season. Murray has a long road of recovery on the horizon, and it's also possible he isn't available at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. But in the meantime, CJ McCollum may be handling things at the one, with Jose Alvarado and Brandon Boston Jr. in line for more work.