NBA Fans Unanimously Rip Hawks Over Underwhelming Trade Return

The Pelicans fleeced the Hawks in a trade on Friday that sent guard Dejounte Murray to New Orleans.

The 29th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, Murray appeared in 78 games in 2023-24 and averaged a career-high 22.5 points per game.

In exchange, the Pels traded backups Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, the Lakers' 2025 first-round pick and the worst of New Orleans' two 2027 first-rounders to Atlanta, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski .

It was later reported that forward E.J. Liddell, who has played in eight career games for the Pelicans, was also included in the deal.

Nance played 19.9 minutes off the bench in 61 appearances and averaged 5.7 points and five rebounds per game.

Dyson also played in 61 games, receiving 16 starts in his second NBA season, and averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 22.3 minutes per game.

Speculation about a trade between the Hawks and Pelicans has been rumbling throughout the week, but most rumors involved Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

His absence in the final haul is undoubtedly underwhelming for the Hawks and a sign that Atlanta might not intend to compete for a playoff spot in 2024-25.

Fans were quick to blast the franchise online.

"Hawks got fleeced so badly," wrote one fan.

"Hawks stay mid," another added.

"Nah this is highway robbery," wrote one more.

Murray was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs, and in 2021-22, he led the league in steals per game (two).

He gives New Orleans a ball-handling guard who, as Wojnarowski shared, the team believes will help the team's fourth-quarter performance.

Wojnarowski noted that the Pelicans were 0-24 in games they trailed entering the fourth quarter and 2-14 in close games.