It’s obvious why the Hawks are seeking a trade for Spurs guard Dejounte Murray. He would be a great fit next to point guard Trae Young. The Hawks need good defenders, especially on the perimeter, and Murray checks that box. Murray is under contract for two more seasons, and the price is a bargain if you believe, as I do, that his breakout season at 25 years old is the true measure of his value.
The question, as always, is what getting Murray would cost the Hawks. If team president Travis Schlenk can acquire Murray without surrendering core players, then he will have made the Hawks better. If Schlenk can do that while also not giving up multiple first-round draft picks, then he will have pulled off a heist. The Spurs aren’t suckers, so I’m thinking a third team would have to send picks to San Antonio as part of a Hawks deal for Murray.
LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk reported Tuesday afternoon that San Antonio is seeking “four first-round draft picks with little to no (lottery) protections.” The Hawks have an extra pick that’s protected from picks 1 through 16 in the 2023 draft and from 1 through 14 in ‘24 and ‘25. Giving up that pick plus three others in the first round for two seasons of Murray would be a lopsided deal in San Antonio’s favor.
