Hawks Trade Dejounte Murray to Pelicans, per Report

The teams pulled off a blockbuster trade on Friday.

Hawks guard Dejounte Murray dribbles the ball during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly added a new star to pair with Zion Williamson.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that the Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick.

The Pelicans are trading a 2025 first-round (via the Lakers) and a least-favorable Milwaukee/Pelicans 2027 first-round pick, Larry Nance Jr., and more, for Murray, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/61uRnxnLFl

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024

In 78 games for the Hawks last season, Murray logged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. He now joins a Pelicans backcourt already featuring veteran CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram—although the latter's name has been floating around in trade talks this offseason.

Murray is under contract through the 2026–27 season and has a player option for 2027–28 worth $31.3 million.

The Pelicans finished last season with a 49–33 record, good for eighth in the Western Conference and the franchise's best mark since Williamson was drafted with the No. 1 pick in 2019. New Orleans secured the No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament but were swept in the first round by the Thunder, albeit Williamson missed the entire series with a hamstring strain.

The Hawks, on the other hand, are putting an end to the Murray era in Atlanta. They acquired Murray in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs in June 2022 to pair him with Trae Young. At the time, the Hawks were just one year removed from an Eastern Conference finals appearance and viewed Murray as a piece to make the next step.

However, Murray and Young never quite meshed together. The backcourt pairing went 55–62 in games they played together and never advanced past the first round of the postseason. The Hawks missed the playoffs last season entirely with a 36–46 record.

Nance, 31, spent the last two-plus seasons in New Orleans since arriving in a trade in February 2022. He is owed $11.2 million in 2024–25 and will become a free agent next summer.

Daniels, the No. 8 pick of the 2022 draft, averaged 4.8 points per game on 43.5% shooting from the field over his first two seasons.