Chatter has been swirling around Hawks guard Dejounte Murray for a few weeks now, and it appears that’s because there’s some truth to the rumors.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Murray is “very, very likely” to be traded before the Feb. 8 deadline to make a deal.
And when there’s a decent player available, you can be sure the Lakers are among the teams interested. That’s especially true when you consider that Los Angeles is off to another uneven start.
It’s also fairly true when you consider that Murray is represented by the same agent who represents LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That would be none other than Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
But landing Murray won’t be easy for the Lakers. For starters, they would “almost assuredly” have to send the Hawks a first-round pick in any deal for Murray, per Wojnarowski.
They’d also have to find salary to match. And not just any salary, but salary that the Hawks would be willing to absorb. Murray is making $18.2 million this season and will increase to $25.5 million next year — the first of a four-year, $114 million extension.
That said, you can’t blame Atlanta for wanting to move on. Murray has not made the difference hoped when the Hawks decided to pair him with Trae Young.
The Knicks, 76ers, Heat, Pistons and Spurs (the team where Murray’s career began) are all also reportedly interested.