2024 NBA Trade Rumors: Hawks Trade Dejounte Murray To New Orleans for Larry Nance, Dyson Daniels, and Picks

The Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray in the latest blockbuster deal in the NBA

Apr 14, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks have decided to breakup their backcourt and have traded Dejounte Murray and he will be headed to the New Orleans Pelicans according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Hawks are receiving Larry Nance, Dyson Daniels, and two first round picks (2025 and 2027) in return. The Pelicans have been a heavily mentioned destination for Murray and now a deal is done.

Full trade on ESPN: Dejounte Murray for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, 2025 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2027 first-round pick (least favorable of Bucks-Pels) https://t.co/4BLEuDodqT

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024

In the summer of 2022, Atlanta traded for Spurs All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, sending out a ton of future draft capital in the process. Murray was supposed to work next to Young and improve the Hawks's perimeter defense, as well as give Atlanta another playmaking ball-handler. That summer, Landry Fields was promoted from assistant general manager to general manager. Former president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk (now with the Wizards) stepped down from his role in December of that year.

It is safe to say that that has not been the case since Murray has been in Atlanta. Murray has not been a bad player at all for the Hawks, but he has not been the defensive stalwart they had hoped for when they traded for him. He has been a good player in the locker and a good leader for the franchise, but the Hawks are going in a different direction, as signaled by this trade. 

When the Hawks acquired Murray, they hoped he would he a secondary ballhandler that could take the pressure off of Trae Young while also being a strong point of attack defender, hiding Young's defecencies in that area. The Hawks numbers when both players shared the floor were never good and it became clear that the Hawks needed to make a decision on which guard to move and they have made their choice.

Atlanta notably traded their 2025 unrprotected pick, 2026 swap, and 2027 unprotected first for Murray that summer. During his first season with the Hawks, Murray averaged 20.5 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 5.3 RPG on 46% shooting from the field and 34% from three. The Hawks had a bad start to the season, fired head coach Nate McMillan, and then hired current head coach Quin Snyder to take over the team. Snyder got the Hawks out of the NBA play-in tournament, but they went on to lose to the Boston Celtics in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

Heading into this season, there was hope that with a full offseason with Snyder, this team would take a big step up and be a contender in the Eastern Conference. While injuries affected the Hawks a lot last season, the team was just average when healthy. It was becoming more clear that the Hawks were better with only one of Young or Murray. It seemed like a deal for Murray might have happened back at the trade deadline, with the Lakers, Pelicans, Spurs, Jazz, and Nets being among the teams mentioned. The Hawks elected to stand pat at the deadline and keep their entire team together.

With Young out with a prolonged injury for the first time in his career, the Hawks were being led by Murray. There were some high points, including two incredible wins over the Celtics, one in which Murray hit the game-winning shot, but the team was just average. They were better on defense with Murray, but the team missed Young's playmaking and passing on the other end of the floor. Murray did have the best offensive season of his career, averaging a career-high 22.5 PPG, 6.4 APG, and 5.3 RPG while shooting 46% from the field and 36% from three.

Hawks GM Landry Fields held a press conference to discuss the Hawks trade deadline and the pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray was brought up. Fields was asked about the viability of the pairing going forward and about the numbers suggesting that the pairing was not working and this is what he had to say: 

"The sample size is getting larger and larger and larger and assuming you're looking at specific lineups, and defensive and offensive ratings, which can always be debated as well. 

Yeah, you're starting to see that more and more. And yeah I can't lie to you, the numbers speak to themselves on that. 

But we're also interested in, well, let's say they are on the court together, and based off the numbers, its not working out. 

Why is that? What are things we can do for them in the developmental aspect to make it look more like the on/off lineups I'm assuming that you're looking at? And ultimately that lays something out that is measurable.

Those are things now that from a development standpoint that you can look at and say 'Ok, can you progress in those areas?'

If you can't, then yeah, those are times like that- I'm not saying that's exactly how it is going to happen - with any player where you have to consider the changes that everyone would then be asking and looking for at the end of the day."

This seemed like the point where things started to feel they were going in the wrong direction and that the pairing would be split up at some point this offseason. There have been continious rumblings about both players being in trade rumors, with both Young and Murray being mentioned.

Atlanta selected Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick this week and while that might not have affected Murray directly, it did show that the Hawks are trying to remake this roster and they will be trying to do so around Trae Young.

Murray is a very good player who just did not fit with Young and the Hawks enough to win at a high level. The next iteration of the Hawks is now underway after this deal.

Stay tuned right here for more to come.