Not so long ago, the Atlanta Hawks made a potential NBA-shaking move to get over the hump. Pairing Dejounte Murray with Trae Young could’ve turned them into a powerhouse, as they were both young, on the rise, and their skill sets cancelled each other’s flaws.
Fast forward to today, and that just hasn’t been the case at all. Not even hiring Quin Snyder has prevented this team from free-falling and constantly flirting with .500 basketball at best.
There have been plenty of reports and rumors about the front office being ready to pull the plug and trade anyone not named Trae Young or Jalen Johnson. Needless to say, they shouldn’t find much trouble moving Murray, not even with his current contract.
Murray has the potential to be an All-Defensive kind of player, and he’s become a much more aggressive scorer. His two-way skill set could be of help to several teams around the league.
NBA Rumors: 3 Landing Spots For Dejounte Murray
So, now that we know that Murray can be had, it’s time to talk about the teams that could have him. With that in mind, we’ve listed three potential destinations that would make sense for both parties and that actually have enough assets to pull it off.
3. San Antonio Spurs
Murray took some shots at Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs, so maybe that bridge is burned already. Then again, they desperately crave a true playmaker, and the prospect of having him in the pick-and-roll with Victor Wembanyama is more than exciting.
The Spurs won’t compete for now, but they do have some promising players and will likely have another top-three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. If Murray is willing to go back to Texas, he could significantly raise their floor and ceiling for next season.
2. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors need more size and defense. The Chris Paul experiment didn’t work out, and they would be better with Murray leading the second unit, assuming he’s even willing to do so. If not, he could slide to the starting lineup next to Stephen Curry.
The Warriors are going to be quite aggressive in their pursuit of talent before the trade deadline. Their title window is shutting down right in front of them, and they have more than enough assets and young players to make several moves in the next couple of weeks.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been keeping tabs on Murray for quite a while now. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise, as he’s represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, who also happen to represent LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Scottie Pippen Jr., and Jarred Vanderbilt.
The Lakers have underperformed this season, and all teams involving LeBron are always very active in the trade market. These kinds of teams usually get what they want, and while it might be expensive, adding Murray could give their defense a much-needed boost.
SURVEY Where should he end?
Where should he end?
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