Hawks trade Dejounte Murray to Western Conference contender

Apr 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) dribbles against the Washington Wizards in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks are ending their Dejounte Murray-Trae Young experiment after two seasons by sending Murray to a Western Conference contender.

Murray is headed to the New Orleans Pelicans to anchor the team’s backcourt, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Hawks will receive two future first-round picks, 2022 lottery pick Dyson Daniels, and backup forward Larry Nance Jr.

Wojnarowski noted that the Pelicans are hopeful that Murray can generate offense late in games, as the team has struggled in close games. He also notes that, despite the move, the team is still trying to find common ground on a new contract with Brandon Ingram.

The Hawks had high hopes for the Murray-Young combination when they gave up an array of first-round picks to acquire him two years ago. The pairing never really took off, and seemed to struggle to co-exist at times. Fresh off the addition of first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks clearly felt it was time to pull the plug. In two total seasons with Atlanta, Murray averaged 21.5 points and 6.3 assists per game.

The Pelicans remain very serious about making noise in the West, and this move proves it. While Ingram’s future with the organization remains very unclear , a core of Murray, CJ McCollum, and Zion Williamson is a formidable one as long as everyone involved stays healthy.

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