Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray’s camp reportedly sees the Brooklyn Nets as an ideal trade destination, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Murray has an upcoming contract extension that is through the 2026-27 season (and has a player option for the 2027-28 season) that is worth $120 million.
Fischer also mentioned the New York Knicks as a potential landing spot for Murray, but there is concern that playing alongside Jalen Brunson wouldn’t be much different for Murray than playing alongside Trae Young in Atlanta.
“Brooklyn has been another potential Murray destination mentioned by multiple league personnel, as the Nets are seen as an ideal spot from Murray’s side of this dynamic, sources said,” Fischer wrote. “But Brooklyn and Atlanta haven’t shared significant dialogue to this point, sources said, and the Nets don’t appear to be actively pursuing Murray at this juncture.”
This season, Murray is averaging 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc. The 3-point percentage is Murray’s highest of his NBA career.
Atlanta could be looking to change its roster at the trade deadline, as the team is currently the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference with just a 15-21 record. The Hawks brought Murray in prior to the 2022-23 season in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs, but it has not elevated the team to a contender for a title in the East.
An All-Star in the 2021-22 season, Murray has taken a step back as a distributor playing alongside Young. The former San Antonio Spurs guard averaged 9.2 assists per game for the Spurs in his All-Star campaign, but his assist numbers have dipped to 6.1 in the 2022-23 season and 5.0 this season.
Young is a ball-dominant guard that commands the offense, and he and Murray may not be the best fit considering Atlanta’s struggles this season. The Hawks did make the playoffs last season, but they were knocked out in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
Brooklyn has some pieces that could make sense for the Hawks – such as wings Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale – but it’s unclear if the team is looking to move Murray to bring in young players or as a way to still contend while building around Young.
The Nets would give Murray a chance to run the offense, as he’d only have to beat out Spencer Dinwiddie for the lead guard role. It’s also possible Dinwiddie could get moved in a Murray deal — if one happens — this season.
There should be more clarity on Murray and the Hawks as the league’s trade deadline gets closer.
