Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, whose name has been mentioned prominently in trade circles, made an interesting comment during Monday’s TNT broadcast. In an interview with Dennis Scott relayed by Paul Garcia of ProjectSpurs (Twitter link), Murray indicated he wouldn’t mind playing for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich again.
“Pop is like a father to me, I would welcome that,” Murray said. “But right now, I’m a Hawk, I’m going to stay professional and play the right way.”
The Hawks gave up three first-rounders in a package to acquire Murray from San Antonio in the summer of 2022. However, the Spurs reportedly have some interest in reacquiring the standout guard.
We have more on the Hawks:
- They are on a fast track toward major changes, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer opines. While a Trae Young trade probably won’t happen this season, it may come to a point where Young and the franchise decide it’s best if he goes elsewhere to pursue a title. In the meantime, the Hawks may sit Young later in the season if they keep losing in order to improve their lottery odds, O’Connor suggests.
- In terms of Murray, O’Connor reports that the Hawks are asking for two first-round picks as part of the package but no one has met their demands. O’Connor adds that Murray would prefer to play for a contender, although the Spurs would seem to be the exception.
- Fourth-year guard Trent Forrest has carved out a rotation spot, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. He’s averaging 16 minutes per game this month. Forrest is on a two-way deal.
- Young reached a milestone in the Hawks’ 10-point win over San Antonio on Monday. He passed 10,000 points for his career while scoring 36 against the Spurs. “It was not on my mind at all,” Young said, as relayed by The Associated Press’ Charles Odum. “I was just trying to go out there and win and put on a show.”
Traede Young.
Hawks took too long to realise they can’t win with Trae… Now the league knows…
Just like the Suns couldn’t win with Nash & the Spurs couldn’t win with Gervin right?
How many titles did Phoenix win with Nash?
“How many titles did Phoenix win with Nash?”
John Stockton, Pete Maravich and Chris Paul’s teams never won titles either. I’d say they had very successful careers and they have won more games then they’ve lost. There’s only one team that wins every season, it doesn’t mean the players on the team are unsuccessful or incapable of winning a championship.
Both are superior 2 way players to Trae…
Giving their teams more options to build around them to be successful…
Trae’s best case scenario is no different to what the Warriors had with Steph… A cheap first contract to build around him during his early prime… Multiple defensive all team level players and more freedom to work on the margins to build a team that could win… But Trae is not on Steph’s level… Nor is he on Nash’s…
Offensively both of them have not done what Young has done at this age. Trae doesn’t get enough credit for being a great passer. Very few can do that at a high level. Scoring and passing managing a gm. Saying that, it’s true he doesn’t play D. Doesn’t even try at times. So you ask yourself why ????
Nash and Curry have gotten better every yr. Always worked on their deficiencies. You have to wonder why Trae doesn’t or won’t. Imo todays NBA most teams enables talent to just get by. As long as they are giving something big offensively. Hawks are a perfect example of that. They have paid all their players only to give up on them. I can assure you there is NO Heat culture here…….. no JimmyB here. No Thibs here. Two teams that overachieve on hard work and dedication.
Do t believe me. Get the facts ……
“The overly optimistic extensions for Capela (one more year left at $22.2 million) and Hunter (three years left after this one for a total of $70 million) also have handcuffed the Hawks’ team-building. Part of the appeal of trading Murray just months after he agreed to a four-year, $114 million extension is that his contract could be the bait to stuff Capela or especially Hunter into a deal. 2 days ago – via John Hollinger @ The Athletic
Let’s not forget Collins in Utah …
More impressively, Young became the fastest player in NBA history to reach the unique trifecta of 10,000 points, 3,500 assists and 1,000 3PM, doing so in 390 career games. Young shattered the previous benchmark set by Stephen Curry (513 games) and Damian Lillard (553 games).
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Just some more interesting facts about Young. Not a big fan. But I do respect what he’s done .
link to yardbarker.com
I like Trae. But he doesn’t come close to those two in team success. That’s what the NBA is about.
Who knows what Young’s career finishes like, but right now, I don’t see him as a guy that will be a key piece on a title winning team.
He’s a volume shooter with well below NBA averages in FG and 3PT %. His defence is porous at best. He may be a great guy, I don’t know, but he’s not a winning player in the L. If he wins a Chip as either the number one or number two option on a team, I would be shocked.
OG anybody should be hawks #1 target in free agency.
They can win with Trae but need solid defense at 2 3 4 5.
OG Anunoby
Nic Claxton
Would be a great start.,
If the Hawks make Anunoby their primary target they’re going to be disappointed, Anunoby is resigning with his agent’s father’s team. Leon Rose wouldn’t have made the trade if he wasn’t confident that Anunoby would resign.
No cap space, not even possible
Is it Trae or the Hawks? The franchise has never been able to be a viable contender no matter who they put on the floor.
It’s no longer a mystery that Murray, and not Trae, is being made available. A guy doesn’t make the statements Murray just made if he doesn’t want out, and, on some level, has advised the team of it. Doesn’t mean ATL is going to give him away, but if a decent deadline market develops, they’d be dumb not to seriously consider best available.
SAS and UTH – assuming their FO’s are ready to end the tanking – should be part of that market. Both have the need and the assets ATL should be looking for. Almost any team with a need at PG should be at least kicking the tires on it.
NYK should focus their attention elsewhere; they need to get bigger, not smaller.
It hasn’t been a mystery for over a month, and Murray has said/done nothing wrong to push himself out. The Hawks are floating rumors that Trae is untouchable, but my belief is that they probably checked in on Trae’s value and found few, if any, teams really wanting to trade much for him. So, they decide to roll to the next option, which is to continue to try to find some way to make it work around Trae.
Personally think they should move Trae for whatever they can get and build around the remainder of this young core. Getting rid of Trae would instantly improve the individual defensive metrics for every player on this team, and it would not really stagnate the offense much (and could make it more efficient).
I agree with you on Trae (not Murray though).
There’s little chance that ATL hasn’t at least tried to gauge Trae’s market value, and found it wanting. He’s high maintenance, and more importantly his game is high maintenance. Basically, that makes him a ill-fitting piece, that defies a liquid market. They would need to find a situation where he could be moved for other ill-fitting pieces usually or a desperate (out of other options) team. That comes along when it does, if it does, not on demand.
As for Murray, IMO, and btw almost certainly contracturally, he did at least say something wrong. No key employee under long term contract should publicly suggest he’d welcome working for another company instead, even if prompted. The exception would be if the employer is OK with it, which would only be the case if there was a private trade request.
I do see your point, but it really depends how it came up. I will have to listen through that interview when I can get some time.
If it was just simply ‘rumors are swirling that San Antonio might be interested in obtaining your service, would you be ok with playing for them again?’ and he answered with that quote .. then that is not really anything bad at all. I agree that he probably should have said I am a Hawk and don’t want to embrace what-if’s, but just responding doesn’t make him a bad guy or someone who ‘wants out’.
I didn’t say he was a bad guy. He is just being honest, likely in response to a suggestive interview question. And it matters little if his FO and teammates know he wants out and they’re working on it.
At this point I don’t think you move Trae. The mistakes and going backwards displayed by the Hawks. Is not on Trae. McMillan was a better coach who demanded accountability. Didn’t sit well with a young star Trae. Well look where Hawks are now.
Murray can still bring back good value. This team can be redone in a yr. I’d have them in top 4 next yr. It all starts with team culture. This is a business, yes. But it’s a business of TEAM sports. That’s how you succeed in this game. Hawks have good young talent. You need team culture and compliance to make it work. Leadership has to lead now. You don’t do change just for change. You change it up to be better. Clock is ticking in Atlanta.