NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray has pushed back against criticism from fans following the team’s heavy defeats, using two social media posts—both later deleted—to challenge the blame being directed at him during the club’s difficult start to the 2026–27 NBA season.
The online exchange came after New Orleans suffered consecutive blowout losses, first falling 138–87 to the Golden State Warriors on November 9 before being beaten 145–111 by the Brooklyn Nets on November 11. The defeats amounted to an 85-point combined margin, while Murray scored 12 points against Golden State and five against Brooklyn, averaging 8.5 points across the two games.
The 51-point defeat to Golden State was one of the heaviest losses in Pelicans history. The subsequent 34-point home loss to Brooklyn extended the team’s losing streak to four games and left New Orleans with a 4–8 record. The Reuters report on the Warriors game and its coverage of Brooklyn’s win detailed the scale of New Orleans’ defensive struggles.
Murray’s first deleted post followed an online statistic highlighting the Pelicans’ contrasting results with and without him in the lineup. The team had gone 1–8 in games he played and 3–0 when he was unavailable, a comparison that quickly drew attention from fans and basketball commentators.
Reacting to the statistic, Murray suggested that the criticism was not happening by chance, writing that “the sabotage is real” and hinting that someone within the organisation could be behind the negative narrative. The post was removed shortly after it appeared, according to ClutchPoints’ report.
He later responded to a fan who questioned his performances and shared clips of his play. Murray challenged the fan’s understanding of the team’s offensive responsibilities and suggested that supporters did not have the full picture of what was happening behind the scenes. He also urged people to speak with players individually before reaching conclusions about the situation. That second response was also deleted, according to ClutchPoints.
The frustration comes at a difficult moment for both Murray and the franchise. The 30-year-old guard is working to re-establish his rhythm after injury setbacks, while the team continues to search for consistency under head coach Jamahl Mosley. His recent scoring numbers have intensified the scrutiny, but the Pelicans’ wider problems have extended beyond one player, with the team conceding at least 138 points in each of three consecutive games.
For Murray, the deleted posts show how quickly a poor run of results can turn into a public debate about individual responsibility, team chemistry and accountability. The immediate challenge for New Orleans will be to respond on the court and halt the slide before frustration among players and supporters grows further.
Sources: ClutchPoints; ClutchPoints; Reuters; Reuters; NBA.com player statistics.