Dejounte’s gone. Is Trae subsequent?
Both manner, the Atlanta Hawks need to really feel quite a bit higher at the moment, as a result of they lastly ripped off the Band-Help. Certainly one of Dejounte Murray or Trae Younger needed to go … at the very least. At the moment, the reply was Murray, whom the workforce 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 in a position to salvage about 97 cents on the greenback from the reckless commerce that introduced Murray to Atlanta within 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 complete 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 obtained two firsts and a former lottery choose in Daniels. The veteran huge man Nance is within the deal as a wage match.
GO DEEPER
Grading the Pelicans-Hawks commerce: Is New Orleans a contender with Dejounte Murray?
Bear in mind, nonetheless, that a kind of firsts initially despatched to San Antonio – a lottery protected first from Charlotte – has but to convey and appears more and more prone to flip into two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. (That may occur if the Hornets miss the playoffs this yr, as most anticipate).
The Hawks received’t have their very own picks in 2025 and 2027 and owe the Spurs a swap in 2026, by which era the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio squad figures to be mighty. Not nice, Bob. We’ll get again to this half in a minute.
Then again, Atlanta simply obtained again an unprotected Lakers choose within the 2025 draft that has a really sturdy likelihood of touchdown within the teenagers. The Hawks additionally obtained 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 workforce 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 that they had so many different suspect marksmen, however in Atlanta, he turns into a significant piece who might 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 an additional yr; it’ll now be “the Murray exception,” value $18.2 million by way of subsequent June 28 or 29. The Atlanta trustworthy won’t ever once more must say the identify “John Collins” any time they suggest a transaction. (I ought to be aware: $6 million will stay on the Collins exception by way 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 under 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 further 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 think about a small deal for free-agent ahead Saddiq Bey. He has a torn ACL and can probably miss most or all of this season, however the Hawks would retain his Fowl 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. Particularly, the backcourt may 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 workforce. 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 seem to be core items.
After all, I say all this as if the Hawks are finished dealing. Are they? Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter rumors have subsisted for ages, however the normal 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 enable Atlanta to maneuver ahead with a honest tanking reset round Risacher, Johnson and Daniels.
San Antonio is the one believable commerce associate 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 mixture 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 marvel.
Pivoting to a tank by buying and selling Younger to another workforce is far, a lot tougher. Theoretically, Atlanta may additionally do “The Brooklyn Particular” by buying and selling the picks they only obtained within the Murray commerce to San Antonio to get their very own picks again, however the Spurs would probably demand a premium past that in further firsts. Thus, except the gives for Younger are in Mikal Bridges territory – assume 4 or 5 firsts – dealing Younger elsewhere might be not an important transfer for Atlanta.
So as a substitute, that is as soon as once more undeniably Trae Younger’s workforce … 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 nicely) by way of assorted accidents throughout final season’s second half, at the same time as his identify was in commerce rumors and he knew he was in all probability gone over the summer season. However he and Younger had zero chemistry collectively, and asking Murray to protect 2s subtracted considered one 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 obtained the highest choose within the draft in a yr the place most rated the highest choose as a useful secondary weapon however not a famous person. To the Play-In we go!
Nonetheless, Friday was one of the best day for the reconstituted entrance workplace underneath Landry Fields since its formation. By shifting on from Murray, the Hawks have regained the pliability to maneuver ahead in plenty of instructions with or with out Younger. (Don’t low cost the actual fact they evaded the Stepien rule now, as an illustration, 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 photograph of Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray: Kevin Jairaj / USA At the moment)