Trade Proposal Sends Dejounte Murray To Hornets, Grant Williams And Multiple Draft Picks To Hawks

One NBA analyst proposed that the Charlotte Hornets acquire Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. 

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

The trade: The Atlanta Hawks trade Dejounte Murray to the Charlotte Hornets for Grant Williams, Nick Richards, Nick Smith Jr., a 2027 first-round pick (top-two-protected, via DAL) and a 2027 first-round pick (lottery-protected, via MIA)

The Hawks, who have the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, could trade Murray and/or Trae Young this offseason. 

Young and Murray have been teammates for two seasons. The Hawks lost in the first round of the 2023 playoffs to the Boston Celtics and missed the postseason this year. 

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

“Murray could be an incredible complement to LaMelo Ball, and the age gap between them isn’t enormous (five years),” Buckley wrote. “Each could create shots for the other, and Murray would tackle the defensive assignments in the backcourt Ball couldn’t handle. Tack on Brandon Miller, a hopefully healthy Mark Williams and whomever the Hornets select with the upcoming No. 6 pick, and that’s an intriguing nucleus with some really interesting high-end outcomes potentially ahead of it.

“As for the Hawks, they need to have fans of these three incoming players in their front office to make this work, but that’s at least possible. Williams could increase the frontcourt’s versatility, Richards could soak up backup minutes whenever Atlanta finds a taker for Clint Capela, and Smith could blossom as an instant-offense sub sooner than later. Throw in a pair of lightly protected picks—Miami’s 2027 first becomes unprotected in 2028 if it doesn’t convey—and Atlanta either has the shelves restocked for a youth movement or perhaps boasts the assets needed to get Young a new co-star.”

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

Murray is believed to have more trade value around the NBA since he’s a better defender than Young.

It will be intriguing to see what the Hawks do this offseason after winning the 2024 draft lottery. 

Murray has career averages of 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.3 blocks with the San Antonio Spurs and Hawks.