Hawks Trade Dejounte Murray To Pelicans

The Atlanta Hawks are trading Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday.

Hawks Trade Dejounte Murray To Pelicans

The Hawks are sending Murray to the Pelicans for Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell, Dyson Daniels, a 2025 first-round pick via the Los Angeles Lakers, and a 2027 first-round pick (the least favorable from the Milwaukee Bucks or their own).

The move comes two years after the Hawks acquired Murray from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for three first-round picks.

Murray is coming off his best-scoring season as a pro, with 22.5 points per game. Atlanta hoped Murray and Trae Young would form one of the league’s best backcourts. However, the two never really gelled together, with Atlanta failing to make it past the first round of the playoffs in Murray’s two years.

Murray joins a Pelicans core that includes Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum. The Pelicans finished the season at 49-33, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Murray signed a four-year, $114 million extension that begins in 2024-2025.

Atlanta Hawks Begin The Rebuild

Atlanta’s semi-rebuild is now underway.

Young remains the franchise’s cornerstone player to go along with solid role players in Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, and Clint Capela.

Atlanta drafted Zaccharie Risacher from France with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6’9″ wing can guard multiple positions, a necessity in today’s NBA.

Since making the Conference Finals in 2020-2021, the Hawks have failed to reach the second round of the playoffs.

Atlanta finished the 2023-2024 season with a 36-46 record.