Trae Young Gets Honest About Why He and Dejounte Murray Did Not Work Together as a Duo

Murray was traded to New Orleans this Summer and the Hawks are retooling their roster around Young

Nov 4, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) slaps hands with guard Dejounte Murray (5) after he makes a basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

When the Atlanta Hawks traded for Dejounte Murray in the summer of 2022, they were hoping that he would be the perfect star teammate next to Trae Young. He would help Atlanta's defense while also being a secondary ball handler to help Young when he was getting swarmed by the opposing team's defense. Two years later though, the Hawks traded Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, E.J. Liddell, Cody Zeller, and two first round picks. The duo never produced at the rate that was hoped for and it was best for the Hawks to breakup the backcourt duo.

Young had not shared a lot of thoughts on the trade or about he and Murray as a pairing since the deal happened, but he joined 76ers forward Paul George on his podcast "Podcast P (Presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment)" and Young talked about several topics, including why he thought he did not fit well with Murray:

“I mean it was good and bad, you know what I'm saying? The only bad part is we didn't get to win as much as we wanted to be honest with you. The good part is we have a lifelong relationship. Our relationship goes outside of basketball. We're both family men. Our morals are very much similar as far as who we have around us…The way we get along off the court is forever. That's why our relationship is forever. But on the court, it’s just tough. We wanted to win but it's just sometimes we're not the first duo that couldn't work and we're not going to be the last…it just didn't work out on the court and it sucks. It sucks and we both admitted it sucks and that's just part of the game. If it doesn't work, teams have to figure out what to do next and make moves.”

I think it was tough. Both very unselfish in ways so it's like there were times early where I'm just, I'm passing it to him and he wants to be aggressive but he's a point guard too, so he's not, you know what I'm saying, thinking score first all the time. But when I'm on the court sometimes he's a shooting guard, but sometimes, you know what I'm saying? So it's kind of like the combination just kind of didn't work and on paper you may think it would because I mean in San Antonio he is a really good defender, known as just a defender, wasn't really known as a scorer, but just a defender can kind of do everything. Rebound score, but get other guys involved. But when he came to us… it's just a different feel and so it just sucks it didn't work.”

Both Young and Murray are very good players, but sometimes it just does not work. Murray should fit well in New Orleans, while the pieces that the Hawks have acquired this summer, particularly Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher, seem to fit with Young and this new Hawks identity.