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Hawks Trade Gallinari, Picks for Dejounte Murray

Atlanta's front office pulled off a huge trade at the 11th hour.

Pat Benson

© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
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Exactly one week ago, news broke that the Atlanta Hawks were in trade negotiations with the San Antonio Spurs. It was the night before the 2022 NBA Draft, and the preliminary discussions were centered around Hawks power forward John Collins and Spurs guard Dejounte Murray. 

The saga took several twists and turns before the deal was consummated early Wednesday evening. On Monday afternoon, Zach Klein of ABC's Atlanta affiliate was the first to report San Antonio wanted power forward Danilo Galliari, not Collins. The process took seven days and countless phone calls, but the two organizations pulled off a blockbuster trade on the eve of free agency.

The final package includes Atlanta receiving Dejounte Murray, while San Antonio receives Danilo Gallinari plus four first-round draft picks. The picks are Charlotte's 2023, Atlanta's 2025 and 2027, plus a pick swap in 2026. Most importantly for San Antonio, Atlanta's 2025 and 2027 picks are completely unprotected. 

To further complicate matters, the two organizations were working against the clock. Gallinari's $21.5 million contract became fully guaranteed after 5:00 pm Eastern today. While we wait for the dust to settle and find out the exact timing of the trade, many fans and media members expect Gallinari to be waived by San Antonio to create further cap space.

Hawks fans were not the only ones celebrating the news. All-NBA point guard Trae Young quickly tweeted a welcoming message to Murray. Perfectly on-brand, Young wrote, "Let's get busy my brotha".

It's difficult to overstate how important this move was for the Hawks. Young finally gets a second All-Star to play beside. Even better, Murray's game perfectly complements Young's skillset and shortcomings. At 6'4" with a wingspan of 6'10", Murray provides stifling perimeter defense and a dynamic secondary playmaker - two of the Hawks biggest weaknesses in the 2021-22 season.

Of course, everyone remembers Young's historic season. He averaged 28.4 points and 9.7 assists per game and became the second player in NBA history to lead the league in total points and assists. Meanwhile, Murray is a triple-double threat who averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. The All-Star duo immediately become the strongest backcourt in the Eastern Conference, if not the entire NBA.

Trae Young dribbles past Dejounte Murray.
Trae Young teams up Dejounte Murray in Atlanta / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

So, where do we go from here? Free agency has not even begun. John Collins is still on the roster, and the Hawks still have room to make moves. Do not be surprised if you now see veterans taking pay cuts to join what they view as a championship contender in Atlanta. That's what this trade did.

Hats off to team president Travis Schlenk and general manager Landry Fields for pulling the trigger on such a big move. Team governor Tony Ressler promised more accountability, and he delivered. Of course, losing that much draft capital will hurt the team in the future, but the organization astutely recognized Murray as the perfect fit for this roster. I applaud them for swinging for the fences. History is reserved for the brave. In the words of our fearless leader, "Another Day, Another Opportunity."

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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