Hawks’ Dejounte Murray remains top trade target for Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers got a first-hand look at Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray on Wednesday night, and Murray shined in the Hawks’ blowout home win.

And while talks reportedly have cooled lately, the Lakers still intend to make a run at Murray before the Feb. 8 trade deadline, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. 

“Dejounte Murray is going to continue to emerge as the top target for the Lakers, from what I’m told,” Charania said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back.

"Dejounte Murray is going to continue to emerge as the top target for the Lakers, from what I'm told…Another scenario to keep an eye on, players that the Lakers do have interest in I'm told, is three guys from the Nets: Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Royce O'Neale."… pic.twitter.com/fSlRUxzzpq

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 31, 2024

Murray is making $17.7 million and has been linked to the Lakers, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.

Considered one of the NBA’s top two-way players, Murray is averaging 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals, shooting 47 percent from the field and 38 percent on 3-pointers. 

But it hasn’t meant a whole lot for the Hawks (20-27), who sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday’s games.

He signed a four-year, $114 million extension with Atlanta last summer and is set to make $24.8 million next season.

According to one report, the Lakers recently offered guard D’Angelo Russell, forward Jalen Hood-Schifino and draft picks to the Hawks for Murray, who shares agent Rich Paul with LA stars agent LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

A recent report from Marc Stein of The Stein Line indicated that Hawks coach Quin Snyder doesn’t want the team to trade Murray. Snyder has a lot of pull with the front office.