Inside The Huskies

Dejounte Murray Becomes One of NBA's Most Wanted

The former Husky point guard is linked to no fewer than six potential trades.

Dan Raley

Dejounte Murray Becomes One of NBA's Most Wanted
Dejounte Murray Becomes One of NBA's Most Wanted /

San Antonio is still home to the Alamo and Dejounte Murray.

Yet the Spurs point guard now knows what it was like for the historic downtown encampment to be under siege.

Remember the Dejounte?

Everybody knows about the 24-year-old player and seemingly wants a piece of him.

Since his season ended, with San Antonio failing to get past its NBA playoff play-in game, Murray's name has been one of the most bandied about in trade possibilities league-wide. 

The former University of Washington player has been linked to no fewer than a half-dozen proposed deals sending him from coast to coast. 

This weekend, Murray is back in Seattle, playing in Jamal Crawford's annual pro-am event attracting the city's best pro and college players to Seattle Pacific University. 

The gangly yet smooth-playing 6-foot-4 Murray, who spent a season with the Huskies in 2016 before making himself available to the draft, has  become a hot commodity after enjoying his most productive season among four in the pros (he sat out another with a knee injury).

He enjoyed several career highs this past year, averaging 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 45 percent shooting from the field.

So where could he go should the Spurs choose to part from him and rake in a big return?

NBA analysts have come up with the following scenarios involving Murray:

Boston Celtics

This is the deal most discussed with different variations. One would send Murray to the Celtics for Marcus Smart, Robert Williams and a second-round pick. Another would put him in the East Coast city in exchange for Smart, Aaron Nesmith and that second-round selection.  

One reason Boston appears to be a viable destination is new Celtics coach Ime Udoka was a San Antonio assistant coach from 2012 to 2019, previously working with Murray. The Celts would pair him with franchise mainstays Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Los Angeles Lakers

Seeking a veteran playmaking running mate for the great LeBron James, the Lakers could bring Murray back to the West Coast, swapping Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker for him. 

They don't necessarily need Murray's scoring, rather his defense and rebounding, particularly the former to further boost their No. 1 team defensive ranking from the past season.  

Philadelphia 76ers

This could be an interesting deal with the 76ers sending three players to San Antonio for Murray from any number of combinations from among George Hill, Shake Milton, Paul Reed, Tyrese Maxey and ... Matisse Thybulle, a former Husky teammate. Thybulle and Murray were freshmen guards together in Seattle for the 2016 season. Both became first-round NBA draft picks.

Yet another deal would result in this blockbuster transaction: the 76ers' Ben Simmons for Derrick White, Devin Vassell and Murray. Which, of course, would team Murray and Thybulle together for the first time in six seasons.

Chicago Bulls

Zach LaVine, a fellow Seattle basketball player and NBA headliner, needs playmaking help to help further his effectiveness as he comes off an All-Star season. Murray, a kid from the neighborhood, would be a ready solution. Playing with LaVine could make him a much better player, too.

A potential trade has the Bulls swapping Coby White and Thaddeus Young for the Spurs floor leader. 

Dallas Mavericks

Moving from one Texas city to another, Dallas fans can envision a high-powered backcourt of Luka Doncic and Murray. Doncic remains the main point-producer with Murray giving him a better dish man and a defensive leader. 

It has been noted that Murray, a natural playmaker with a 6-foot-10 wingspan that enables him to block passing lanes, would take considerable pressure off Doncic and enable him to be an even more dangerous scorer. 

Miami Heat

With Heat point guards Goran Dragic and Kendrick Nunn potentially moving on through a contract option decline and free agency , Murray is an compelling option for the South Beach franchise. 

The Spurs could swap their playmaker for KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa as they rebuild and try to add more pieces.

New York Knicks

The Knicks are considered the NBA team most in need of a point-guard upgrade and they could send the limited Elfrid Payton and any number of other players to the Spurs for Murray, who plays a rim-attacking style favored by New York coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks would send over Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox and a first-round draft pick.

With the Spike Lee-led Broadway audience urging him on, Murray would be motivated to take his game to yet another all-purpose level. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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