Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a great deal of talk about the Los Angeles Lakers being in pursuit of Atlanta Hawks star guard Dejounte Murray. At least on the surface, he seems a desirable target for them, given he’s a proven scorer who possesses speed, a reputation as an above-average defender and an improved 3-point shot.
Initially, the Hawks asked for Austin Reaves, but the Lakers seem very reluctant to include Reaves in any potential deal. The current framework for a possible Murray-to-L.A. deal reportedly involves D’Angelo Russell and filler.
Despite the trade talk, Russell has actually been playing some of his best ball ever lately. In his last seven games, he’s averaging 27.4 points and 6.6 assists a contest while shooting 53.8% overall and a Jacuzzi-like 53.1% from 3-point range. He hit eight treys in Thursday’s win against the Chicago Bulls.
In a recent Hoops Hype podcast, Lakers reporter Jovan Buha said the heater Russell is on has given the team something to think about as far as possibly trading him.
Via Hoops Hype:
“The level that D’Angelo Russell has played at has made them (Lakers) rethink things a little bit as far as the caliber of player they’d be willing to give him up for.”
While Russell has been playing very well lately, the fact he has a player option for next season may make him a little less valuable on the market. In fact, the Hawks reportedly don’t want him for Murray. Therefore, a third team would be needed to facilitate a trade that would bring Murray to the Purple and Gold.
