Do The New Orleans Pelicans Prefer Dejounte Murray Over Trae Young As A Trade Target?

Will the Hawks breakup their backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray this offseason?

Nov 4, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) shoots a jump shot over New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

It is the worst-kept secret in the NBA that the Atlanta Hawks are likely going to break up their backcourt duo of Dejounte Murray and Trae Young this offseason. Since trading for Murray in the summer of 2022, the results have been underwhelming. Atlanta had a first-round exit vs the Boston Celtics last season and then lost in the play-in tournament to the Chicago Bulls this season. Many expect the Hawks to make a change, but which point guard will they trade and where will they trade them? Atlanta was shopping Murray up until the trade deadline this season but decided to keep him. Who will be interested in Murray this offseason?

One of the teams that was interested in Murray leading up to the trade deadline was the New Orleans Pelicans and it might be safe to say that those two make natural trade partners with each other. New Orleans has a plethora of wing players that Atlanta might covet while New Orleans needs a point guard for its offense. Would the Pelicans attempt to trade for one of the Hawks guards and if so, which one would they prefer? Christian Clark at nola.com suggested today that the Pelicans might have more interest in Murray than they would in Young.

"The Pelicans had contact with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks before the trade deadline in February. Expect those talks to resume this summer. The Cavaliers and Hawks have three All-Star guards between them in Darius Garland, Dejounte Murray and Trae Young who could be available."

"If the Pelicans reengaged the Hawks, they could look to pry away Murray or Young. Even though Young is the more talented player, the Pelicans seem to hold more interest in Murray, league sources said. The 6-5 Murray is not as much of a defensive liability as the 6-1 Young can be. He is also on a cheaper contract; Murray will make $25.5 million next season, while Young is owed $43 million."

Clark also noted the relationship between Zion Williamson and Young:

"One of the interesting subplots in all of this: In 2019, the Hawks were one of the teams Williamson’s camp hoped would get the No. 1 pick. Williamson even tapped the Hawks’ logo just before the results of the 2019 draft lottery were announced.

All signs suggested that Williamson and Young had mutual interest in playing with each other previously. Last month, Rayford Young, who is Trae’s father, indicated on social media that that still might be the case."

You can read the full piece here.

Former Hawks All-Star point guard Jeff Teague said on an episode of his podcast, the Club 520 Podcast, that he thinks a trade involving Murray and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is going to happen:

"I say they are going to trade Dejounte Murray for Brandon Ingram. I think they are going to do that straight up"

No matter who Atlanta keeps as their point guard, this is a team that needs size at the forward/wing position, as well as someone who could double as a playmaker and be a two-way threat. While Ingram is not as strong of a defender as he is an offensive player, he would fit a lot of needs for the Hawks.

At 6'8 190 LBS, Ingram checks off the size that the Hawks need and he checks off the playmaking box as well. Whether he has the ball in his hands or not, Ingram can either get his own shot or he can set others up. He has averaged close to six assists per game for the past three seasons and has been a good shot-creator for the Pelican's offense. He had a tough offensive series vs the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs this season, but being with either Young or Murray would open up a lot for him.

He is not a perfect fit though on Atlanta, especially from a defensive perspective. If he were to be paired with Young, he would add to the defensive concerns of the team, but they could be overcome because while he is not a great defender, he is not one of the worst in the league and he has size at least. The other thing would be his three-point shooting, as it has fluctuated a bit over the years. He shot 35.5% from three this year, down from 39% last year. The year before that, he shot 32%. There is inconsistency with his three-point shooting.

Ingram is also going into the last year of his contract and will need a new one after next season. Obviously, if the Hawks trade for him, they will be giving him a new contract, but it would also tie him and whoever the point guard is on the team together. Also consider that Jalen Johnson is going to be extension-eligible this offseason, meaning Atlanta could have a lot of money tied up in either Young/Murray, Ingram, the No. 1 pick (unless it is traded), and Johnson. This would be the core of the Hawks if they made this trade and they would need to hope that it could bring them more success than they have had recently in the postseason.

We will have to see what both teams intend to do this summer, but both Atlanta and New Orleans could look to reshape their rosters. They also make natural trade partners as well.

Ingram would bring a lot of upside to the Hawks and it does seem like New Orleans might be willing to move him.  Let's see what happens this summer.