NEWSLETTER
The Atlanta Hawks just went all-in to find Trae Young a co-star.
On the eve of free agency, the Hawks have acquired Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks (2023 via Charlotte, 2025, and 2027), and a pick swap (2026). The latter two picks (2025 and 2027) – and the swap – are unprotected, per The Athletic’s John Hollinger.
If that all sounds like a lot, that’s because … well … it sure is.
Murray is coming off easily the best season of his career, taking an All-Star leap thanks to 21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. His two-way game helped drag the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs into the Play-In Tournament, where they lost to the Pelicans in the 9-10 matchup.
At first, it came as a surprise the Spurs were so willing to move Murray elsewhere. However, I think the haul returned from the Hawks demonstrates exactly why. Three unprotected first-rounders and a pick swap is a massive return for someone who still has to prove he can maintain an All-Star trajectory. Not to mention, Murray has yet to play over 70 games in a season since the 2017-18 campaign.
The first between Trae Young and Murray will also be an interesting storyline to follow throughout the 2022-23 campaign. While Murray is a seemingly unselfish player, these are two high-usage guards who have grown used to having the ball in their hands and leading the offense. But, hey, I guess folks said the same thing about Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and we all saw how that turned out. Plus, Murray’s presence should allow Young to develop much more of an off-ball game, and he’ll surely cover up a handful of Young’s defensive mistakes.
Also, regardless of whether or not this will go down as an overpay, the Hawks just got better. Murray automatically increases the talent level on that roster, setting Atlanta up to improve on their eighth-place finish in the conference last season. I think this trade serves as a good reminder that teams below the Bulls will be coming for their top-six spot as soon as this season. With that in mind, Arturas Karnisovas has to stay aggressive to improve this roster over the next handful of days.
