The Atlanta Hawks traded for Dejounte Murray because they thought his flaws would cancel out Trae Young’s flaws and vice versa.
It made perfect sense.
They could both play on and off the ball, with Young being the better shooter and Murray being a bigger, more physical presence who could drive to the rim.
Also, Murray was a stellar defender who could help hide Young on that end of the floor, so it seemed like a match made in heaven.
Fast forward to today, and that obviously hasn’t been the case.
They’ve both put up solid numbers, but the Hawks have been far from consistent and aren’t even close to being a contending team.
With that in mind, some believe Murray could be on his way out of Georgia before Thursday’s trade deadline.
According to a report by Michael Scotto, both the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets are keeping tabs on the former San Antonio Spurs guard (via NBA Central).
The Knicks and Nets have expressed interest in Dejounte Murray, per @MikeAScotto
(https://t.co/OOUlUSfHdU) pic.twitter.com/nC9WBEparK
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 8, 2024
Murray was reportedly a trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers as well, but they might no longer be interested in another point guard because of D’Angelo Russell’s recent offensive surge.
Murray is young and has proven that he’s capable of being a primary scorer if needed.
He also excels in the clutch.
Then again, he also comes with some question marks about his character and coachability, and he hasn’t played with the same defensive intensity since leaving Gregg Popovich.
Even so, Murray could be a catalyst for both of these teams, and his upside is most definitely worth the risk and steep asking price.
NEXT: Key Hawks Veteran Is Dealing With Sudden Injury