Trae Young recently opened up about why his partnership with Dejounte Murray failed to deliver the success the Atlanta Hawks had envisioned. Speaking on Paul George's "Podcast P," Young expressed his disappointment but also highlighted the positives of their two seasons together.
“I mean it was good and bad, you know what I’m saying? The only bad part is we didn’t get to win as much as we wanted to be honest with you. The good part is we have a lifelong relationship. Our relationship goes outside of basketball. We’re both family men. Our morals are very much similar as far as who we have around us."
"The way we get along off the court is forever. That’s why our relationship is forever. But on the court, it’s just tough."
"We wanted to win but it’s just sometimes we’re not the first duo that couldn’t work and we’re not going to be the last…it just didn’t work out on the court and it sucks. It sucks and we both admitted it sucks and that’s just part of the game. If it doesn’t work, teams have to figure out what to do next and make moves"
“I think it was tough. Both very unselfish in ways so it’s like there were times early where I’m just, I’m passing it to him and he wants to be aggressive but he’s a point guard too, so he’s not, you know what I’m saying, thinking score first all the time."
"But when I’m on the court sometimes he’s a shooting guard, but sometimes, you know what I’m saying?"
"So it’s kind of like the combination just kind of didn’t work and on paper you may think it would because I mean in San Antonio he is a really good defender, known as just a defender, wasn’t really known as a scorer, but just a defender can kind of do everything."
"Rebound score, but get other guys involved. But when he came to us, it’s just a different feel and so it just sucks it didn’t work."
Reflecting on their time together, Young noted that while their off-court relationship was strong, their on-court chemistry was lacking. He emphasized that their mutual unselfishness sometimes worked against them, as both players would defer to each other instead of asserting themselves when necessary. Murray , who had been known primarily as a defender during his time with the San Antonio Spurs , struggled to adapt to a more prominent offensive role in Atlanta.
The Hawks initially saw great potential in the Young-Murray duo when they traded for Murray, hoping his defensive prowess and versatility would complement Young's scoring and playmaking abilities. However, despite their individual talents, the pairing never fully clicked on the court. The Hawks struggled to find consistent success, finishing with a 55-62 record when both were in the lineup, and ultimately failing to make the playoffs in 2024 after a first-round exit in 2023.
Ultimately, the Hawks decided to move on from the experiment, trading Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason. While the partnership didn’t work out as hoped, Young remains positive about the relationship he and Murray built, even if it didn’t translate into victories.
Now, with significant roster changes and the drafting of Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks are looking to rebuild and find a new path forward. As for Young, his future in Atlanta remains uncertain amidst ongoing trade rumors, but one thing is clear: the Young-Murray era in Atlanta is officially over.
Related: Hawks Acquire Michael Porter Jr. In A Trade Scenario With Nuggets And Raptors
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