Trade Proposal Sends Brandon Ingram And Larry Nance Jr. To Hawks, Dejounte Murray And Clint Capela To Pelicans

One NBA analyst proposed that the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans make a trade involving Brandon Ingram and Dejounte Murray. 

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Hawks and Pelicans:

The trade: The New Orleans Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr. and the No. 21 pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela

“New Orleans may not want to pay Ingram, but maybe Atlanta would,” Buckley wrote. “The Hawks have needed an impact wing for a while, and maybe they see him as a better fit with Trae Young than Murray was. Plus, they’d be getting a serviceable backup big man in Nance and the No. 21 pick to add an additional prospect or flip in a separate swap.

“The Pelicans, meanwhile, might see Murray as their missing table-setter. The last time the 27-year-old operated as a primary playmaker, he averaged 21.1 points and 9.2 assists against 2.6 turnovers while earning his first All-Star nod. New Orleans could also see Capela’s length and ability to play above the rim as better on-court complements for Zion Williamson than it has had at the center spot.”

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Pelicans are expected to trade Ingram, who has one year left on his contract. New Orleans is interested in acquiring Murray from Atlanta, sources told Hoops Wire. 

Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $36 million next season. 

Murray appeared in 78 games for the Hawks in 2023-24. He averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.3 blocks while shooting 45.9% from the floor, 36.3% from beyond the arc and 79.4% from the free-throw line.

The Hawks signed Murray to a four-year, $114 million extension in July 2023. Murray will make $24.8 million next season. 

Nance Jr. and Capela aren’t All-Stars, but they aren’t scrubs either. Both players are starters in the NBA who can contribute on both ends of the floor. 

Nance Jr. averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.3 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 57.3% from the field, 41.5% from 3 and 77.0% from the foul line. He’ll make $11.3 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

Capela will make $22.3 million next season in the final year of his contract. The 30-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.5 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 57.1% from the field and 63.1% from the free-throw line. He had 38 double-doubles.