The Atlanta Hawks were desperate for another star.
After that unexpected joy in the 2021 playoffs, his disappointing display last season at the much-improved Eastern Conference was a major issue for everyone involved. Property pressure was rising, again, especially with Trae Young’s supermax extension about to kick off for the 2022-23 campaign.
The high stakes meant it was time to make another move; raise the collective ceiling of this group that promised so much two postseason ago.
The five-game losing streak in the first round to Miami made it clear how the Hawks needed a secondary perimeter game builder alongside Young. The organization believed this was a necessity before the series, sources told The Athletic, and this was only highlighted by the Heat’s ability to chase the Atlanta All-NBA guard and force him out of the ball at an unprecedented level. Atlanta had no score or game threats to make up for Young being completely eliminated from the game by Miami’s physique and length.
Enter All-Star Dejounte Murray 2021-22, the San Antonio Spurs guard heading to Atlanta in a change for Danilo Gallinari, a protected first-round pick among the top 16 of 2023 via Charlotte , unprotected first-round elections in 2025 and 2027 and a 2026 Selection Exchange that is also unprotected, sources told The Athletic. It’s a play to win now if there ever was one, a clear sign that the Hawks are committed to maximizing the Young era while supporting a defense that ranked 26th in points allowed for every 100 possessions last season . But it is also a high price to pay, the type of mortgage move for your future that will be monitored and monitored for years to come.
The Hawks expect this to turn out well enough for Murray to want to stay after his current deal expires in the summer of 2024 (ten $ 16.5 million and $ 17.7 million over the next two seasons). Murray is eligible to sign a three-year extension this offseason worth up to $ 74.7 million after the incentives, but is unlikely to accept one now after the All-Star season he just had with the Spurs. In the short term, the Hawks simply have to find a way to fight back in an Eastern conference with Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Miami and Brooklyn that remain as formidable as ever.
Just a week ago, Landry Fields, the future Atlanta CEO, said the reception had “an obligation to improve and we want to improve.” The Hawks are better and there is potential for further improvement in the coming days.
With all the signs that continue to point to a John Collins change in the Hawks ’near future, it’s hard to hurt Atlanta’s potential for next season and beyond without knowing his return on that long-awaited deal. Sources say trade talks for this Murray deal involved Collins at first, before the Spurs pivoted.
It is also possible that the Hawks will explore the trade of Kevin Huerter or Bogdan Bogdanovic, who may be targeted at bench roles as a result of Murray’s addition. Huerter signed a four-year, $ 65 million contract last season, while Bogdanovic is owed $ 18 million this season and is recovering from knee surgery during the off-season that is expected to stop him. band during the training camp.
Murray was the only player to average at least 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds last season, with only Luka Dončić and James Harden close. Murray is not a threat from the perimeter, throwing just 33.3 percent of the 3 of his career and only 32.7 percent last season. He’s not Klay Thompson for Young’s often-cited basketball doppelgänger, Steph Curry. Not even close.
While Murray is one of the league’s top scoring guards within the perimeter, making 44 percent of his mid-range jumpers and 64 percent of his attempts on the edge, he had a usage rate of 26, 8 which far surpassed that of Huerter (16.9), the Hawks’ Unguarded Guard Holder. Murray will need the ball, and Young may need to master the art of playing with the ball like, well, Curry. This will be an adjustment for Young and Murray, as the two All-Stars each played 100 percent of their minutes as a base last season, according to Cleaning the Glass.
However, since Young entered the league, the Hawks have always believed that they could completely release the best version of Young if he agreed to get off the ball. This ability is not entirely new to Young, who did so extensively during his AAU days alongside Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. In his limited attempts off the ball at the NBA level, Young has been brilliant. Last season, he scored 1.3 points per point possession, ranking in the 97th percentile, by Synergy Sports. Young made 48.1 percent of his 77 3-point catch-and-shoot attempts last season.
Now that Young has a formula mate in Murray, who can direct the show with or without him on the ground, the Hawks can unlock their superstar’s entire offensive arsenal. All he needed was Gallinari’s partially secured contract, a horde of project assets and a tense few days of negotiations.
When the Hawks and Spurs talked about the deal late last week and over the weekend, there was a sense of confusion and disbelief on the part of some of the Atlanta side involved. Were the Spurs really willing to part with a 25-year-old who is widely regarded as one of the league’s best talents under the radar? Would they really welcome a complete reconstruction during Gregg Popovich’s twilight years? The Hawks knew the price would be high to land Murray, but the chance to solve many of his problems by pairing him with Young on the back court was too good to pass up.
Then came the haunting silence. Sources say the Spurs were silent for an extended period earlier this week, and Hawks officials were wondering internally whether San Antonio could have withdrawn from the possible deal or perhaps gaining momentum in trade talks in other places. Time was of the essence for the Hawks, as Gallinari’s $ 21.45 million contract for this season was fully guaranteed for Wednesday evening.
However, while Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reported that there were Murray-centered conversations between the Spurs and Minnesota last week, the Timberwolves ’reception clearly didn’t feel comfortable making him all-in for land it. The Knicks were reported as a possible Murray landing point, but a source aware of their discussions said they did not talk to San Antonio about him. Atlanta, meanwhile, was clearly determined to find another elite wing talent.
As Murray’s conversations evolved, sources say the Hawks were closely monitoring the Brooklyn situation and, like so many other teams in the league, were seriously preparing for the possibility that Nets star Kevin Durant would call for a exchange. Although Kyrie Irving’s decision to opt for the final year of his contract quickly put an end to Durant’s talk, the Hawks ’interest said a lot about the scope and urgency of his research.
In the end, Murray was her husband.
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(Top photo of Dejounte Murray: Brett Davis / USA Today)