Dejounte’s gone. Is Trae subsequent?
Both means, the Atlanta Hawks must really feel quite a bit higher at present, as a result of they lastly ripped off the Band-Assist. One among Dejounte Murray or Trae Young needed to go … at the very least. Right now, the reply was Murray, whom the staff despatched to New Orleans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell and two first-round picks, league sources confirmed Friday.
One way or the other, a way, it seems the Hawks have been capable of salvage about 97 cents on the greenback from the reckless trade that brought Murray to Atlanta in the first place, one which thrust them right into a disaster of being relentlessly mediocre but unable to tank.
For a entrance workplace that went a whole calendar yr with out making a single transaction extra significant than selling Trent Forrest from a two-way deal, it’s a jarring and notable achievement.
Let’s evaluate side-by-side. The unique Murray commerce despatched three first-round picks, two of that are unprotected, and a choose swap to San Antonio; on Friday, the Hawks acquired two firsts and a former lottery choose in Daniels. The veteran massive man Nance is within the deal as a wage match.
GO DEEPER
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Bear in mind, nonetheless, that a type of firsts initially despatched to San Antonio – a lottery protected first from Charlotte – has but to convey and appears more and more more likely to flip into two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. (That can occur if the Hornets miss the playoffs this yr, as most count on).
The Hawks gained’t have their very own picks in 2025 and 2027 and owe the Spurs a swap in 2026, by which period the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio squad figures to be mighty. Not great, Bob. We’ll get again to this half in a minute.
However, Atlanta simply received again an unprotected Lakers choose within the 2025 draft that has a really robust probability of touchdown within the teenagers. The Hawks additionally acquired an unprotected choose in 2027, though it’s the lesser of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s.
Nevertheless, the opposite pearl is Daniels, a budding defensive specialist becoming a member of a staff whose tragic lack of ability to include the ball resulted within the league’s Twenty seventh-ranked protection a season in the past.
Daniels has two years left on a rookie deal that can pay him $6.1 million this yr and $7.7 million subsequent yr. He struggles taking pictures and didn’t actually slot in New Orleans as a result of they’d so many different suspect marksmen, however in Atlanta, he turns into a significant piece who could begin to offset famous matador Younger.
The timing of this commerce additionally permits the Hawks to recycle the $23 million John Collins commerce exception for one more yr; it should now be “the Murray exception,” price $18.2 million by means of subsequent June 28 or 29. The Atlanta devoted won’t ever once more must say the title “John Collins” any time they suggest a transaction. (I ought to observe: $6 million will stay on the Collins exception by means of July 8 ought to the Hawks get frisky on the commerce machine.)
Atlanta additionally will get to hold one other “averted luxurious tax” banner within the State Farm Enviornment rafters, dropping $6.3 million beneath the road after their draft lottery triumph briefly put them over. The Hawks have 14 gamers underneath contract, however Nance’s addition would appear to make the non-guaranteed $2.7 million deal of Bruno Fernando fungible; the deadline for his assure is Saturday, so we’ll know quickly on him.
I child in regards to the luxurious tax avoidance, however the extra monetary wiggle room opens different prospects for Atlanta. Signing Vit Krejčí to a roster contract appears to be a foregone conclusion, however the Hawks additionally may take into account a small deal for free-agent ahead Saddiq Bey. He has a torn ACL and can seemingly miss most or all of this season, however the Hawks would retain his Chicken rights into subsequent summer season if he stays underneath contract in 2024-25.
Extra notably, Atlanta can now use its full nontaxpayer midlevel exception to pursue different expertise. Specifically, the backcourt might use one other shot creator for the non-Younger minutes.
Even with no additional strikes, the Hawks have rapidly remade themselves right into a youthful staff. Daniels, prime general choose Zaccharie Risacher, 2023 first-rounder Kobe Bufkin and 2022 first-rounder Jalen Johnson – quietly among the many league’s most improved gamers final season – now appear to be core items.
After all, I say all this as if the Hawks are executed dealing. Are they? Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter rumors have subsisted for ages, however the common consensus from league sources is that the Hawks can’t get any significant return for them.
And at last, there’s the elephant within the room. No dialogue of Atlanta’s plight is full with out discussing the nuclear possibility: Buying and selling Younger to San Antonio and getting these picks again, which might permit Atlanta to maneuver ahead with a honest tanking reset round Risacher, Johnson and Daniels.
San Antonio is the one believable commerce accomplice for such a transfer, on condition that the Spurs presently personal three straight Hawks drafts. Conveniently, San Antonio additionally desperately wants an elite level guard and will simply combination non-core salaries (Devonte’ Graham, Zach Collins and Tre Jones) to match Younger’s $43 million wage. The truth that the Spurs simply pushed again Graham’s assure date to July 8 at the very least makes you surprise.
Pivoting to a tank by buying and selling Younger to some other staff is far, a lot more durable. Theoretically, Atlanta might additionally do “The Brooklyn Particular” by buying and selling the picks they only acquired within the Murray commerce to San Antonio to get their very own picks again, however the Spurs would seemingly demand a premium past that in extra firsts. Thus, until the presents for Younger are in Mikal Bridges territory – suppose 4 or 5 firsts – dealing Younger elsewhere might be not an ideal transfer for Atlanta.
So as a substitute, that is as soon as once more undeniably Trae Younger’s staff … for now.
This time, at the very least, the items match dramatically higher. Let’s cease for a fast shout-out to Murray, who performed (and performed effectively) by means of assorted accidents throughout final season’s second half, whilst his title was in commerce rumors and he knew he was most likely gone over the summer season. However he and Younger had zero chemistry collectively, and asking Murray to protect 2s subtracted one in every of his former strengths.
Existential questions stay about whether or not this roster can really obtain something past “first-round cannon fodder” — Atlanta’s document over the previous 4 seasons is an inoffensively common 161-157. Fittingly, they received the highest choose within the draft in a yr the place most rated the highest choose as a useful secondary weapon however not a celebrity. To the Play-In we go!
Nonetheless, Friday was the most effective day for the reconstituted entrance workplace underneath Landry Fields since its formation. By transferring on from Murray, the Hawks have regained the flexibleness to maneuver ahead in quite a few instructions with or with out Younger. (Don’t low cost the actual fact they evaded the Stepien rule now, as an example, on buying and selling their very own first in 2026 or 2028.)
In doing so, they ended up with a roster that’s youthful, cheaper, extra coherent and a greater match round their finest participant. We simply don’t understand how lengthy that final half will nonetheless apply.
(Prime picture of Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray: Kevin Jairaj / USA Right now)
