NEWSLETTER
The Atlanta Hawks have split up their backcourt.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report that Dejounte Murray is headed to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Hawks will reportedly receive two first-round picks (2025 via Lakers, 2027 via less-favorable of Pelicans/Bucks), Larry Nance Jr., and Dyson Daniels.
The Pelicans now add a steady scorer and all-around contributor to their backcourt. Murray is fresh off averaging a career-high 22.5 points per game with 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot a much-improved 36.3 percent from downtown on 7.1 attempts a night.
Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans
All things considered, this feels like a pretty fair trade for both sides. The case could be made that Atlanta deserved more for the one-time All-Star, especially after his efficient season. However, they still land multiple first-round picks and a once-promising prospect in Dyson Daniels. The jumbo guard is still only 21 years old and struggled to find a consistent role on a team prioritizing winning. If the Hawks are prepared to take a step back, Daniels could have more room to grow into his own.
We also have to factor in Murray’s struggles to look like the same two-way asset he was in San Antonio. While most would still declare him an above-average defender, he was the league’s steals leader and All-Defensive Second Team selection while with San Antonio. The Hawks expected him to come in and fix a lot of their defensive struggles. The team finished 22nd in defensive rating in 2022-23 and 27th in 2023-24.
The big question now is what happens next for both teams. The Pelicans are clearly hoping to make some more noise in the Western Conference, but will this process include Brandon Ingram? The forward is up for a contract extension and many have thought the Pelicans would look to trade him. Wojnarowski now reports that New Orleans is trying to “find common ground” with the forward.
As for Atlanta, the future of Trae Young has also been a major talking point. While everyone seemed to know that splitting up Young and Murray was on the horizon, some have wondered if BOTH could be out the door. After selecting Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall and adding some more draft capital, it’s hard not to wonder if a rebuild could be in full effect. The Hawks could surely get a haul for Young.
I probably also shouldn’t forget to stress that one of the top trade candidates is now off the market. Murray was a hot commodity since the trade deadline, with the Lakers being one team heavily mentioned. How might the other interested parties now pivot? Could someone like Zach LaVine now become that much more appealing? What about a veteran scorer in DeMar DeRozan?
The fewer options there are, the more leverage the Bulls could have when it comes to moving on from either player. This is the second huge deal of the week, as the New York Knicks landed the highly-coveted Mikal Bridges from the Nets for a massive haul.
