The Hawks found an All-Star teammate for Trae Young. Dejounte Murray is headed from San Antonio to Atlanta, per multiple reports. In return, the Hawks will send Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks to the Spurs. San Antonio receives a 2023 first via Charlotte that’s lottery protected, two unprotected Atlanta firsts in 2025 and 2027, as well as the rights to a pick swap in 2026.
Murray, who will be 26 at the start of the season, averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists a game for the Spurs in 2021–22, which earned him his first All-Star selection. He is signed through 2024 when he can become an unrestricted free agent. Let’s grade the deal for both sides.
Hawks: B
Hmmm. Murray is a really, really good player. Even if he’s not a perennial All-Star, the Hawks have long needed a secondary ball-handler and somebody with Murray’s defensive capabilities. There are fair questions about fit and price here, though. This trade is going to heavily depend on Young’s ability and commitment to play off the ball. He is almost certainly capable. Yet Young has been a very high usage player since his rookie season, and making an adjustment that big is no small task. Will he remain committed even if there are growing pains? And if we zoom to the fourth quarter of a playoff game, how will Murray’s lack of outside shooting affect the Hawks when they’re asking Trae to play high pick-and-roll? The thought of Trae running around screens and sowing confusion while Murray handles is definitely tantalizing, though.
Still, three firsts are a steep price for a team that’s not exactly a contender trying to get over the hump, especially with that last pick years down the line. Murray’s contract will also end at an interesting time. You don’t trade three firsts for someone you don’t want long term. Will Atlanta be willing to pay all of Young, Murray, John Collins, De’Andre Hunter and Onyeka Okongwu? The latter two will need new contracts in the next two years. Meanwhile, Clint Capela and Kevin Huerter are also signed through 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Of course, Atlanta should pay to keep this whole team together. All these players are talented even if some are redundant or not perfect fits. Owners should always pay the luxury tax as far as I’m concerned. Still, if the Hawks aren’t willing, how they allocate resources if committing to a Young-Murray backcourt will be interesting to watch. Especially because it’s not the cleanest fit on paper.
Spurs: B-
At first blush, I didn’t really love this trade for San Antonio, and I still don’t. I wanted to give them a lower grade but compromised to a B- after extensive discussions with my SI colleagues Jeremy Woo and Michael Pina. Three firsts is a really good haul for the Spurs. It’s what the Pelicans acquired for Jrue Holiday, who is a better player than Murray. At the same time, I can’t bring myself to celebrate San Antonio essentially giving up on a homegrown star in favor of a tank. And every pick involved here could end up outside of the lottery. Is that scenario better than having Murray through his prime? What if his next contract is not a max? There are ways to tank with him on the roster, too. Just look at what the Thunder have done with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Ultimately, if you look at the NBA as some sort of asset fetishization game, this is a decent move for the Spurs. They aren’t winning a title with Murray as their lead guy any time soon. Now they can fully tank and take chances in the lottery, while rooting for chaos in Atlanta and hoping those picks end up being near the top of the draft. Personally, I don’t even mind the tank. But trading away a guy like Murray will never feel right to me, especially when he can be a valuable part of a good team.
