By Shams Charania, Hunter Patterson and Will Guillory
The Atlanta Hawks have traded point guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources confirmed Friday. The Hawks are receiving Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, EJ Lidell and two first-round picks from the Pelicans in return.
Pelicans trade Larry Nance Jr. and two first-round picks for Dejounte Murray, sources say @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2024
Murray averaged 22.5 points, a career-high 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals on 36.3 percent 3-point shooting for the Hawks last season, his second to Atlanta after arriving from the San Antonio Spurs in a 2022 blockbuster.
The 27-year-old guard was an All-Star in his final season with the Spurs and was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2018. Murray recorded at least 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and one steal per match over the past three years.
The Hawks have been disappointing in Murray’s two years with the team, going 41-41 in 2022-23 and 36-46 in 2023-24. Murray also reportedly clashed with Hawks star point guard Trae Young, who was a three-time All-Star and signed a five-year maximum contract in 2022.
What motivated New Orleans to do this?
New Orleans pulls off a fascinating move that has been in the works for some time. The Pelicans and Hawks were in the middle of negotiations over a possible Murray deal before the February trade deadline, but both sides decided to walk away.
While New Orleans has recently been the subject of constant trade rumors involving Brandon Ingram as he enters the final year of his contract, making a deal like this to acquire a former All-Star without including Ingram is a massive victory for the Pelicans.
Murray brings a true point guard with defensive chops to a team that struggled to get a late-game finish last season. New Orleans will have to figure out how to fit Murray next to CJ McCollum in the backcourt, but having another ball-handling option with size, vision and scoring ability should make life a lot easier for Zion Williamson.
The big question now will be whether this trade is an indication that Ingram is staying with the Pelicans or if this is simply the first move before New Orleans pulls off another blockbuster at a later date? Will Guillory and the Pelicans beat the writer
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(Photo: Stephen Lew/USA Today)
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