The Hawks have a franchise-altering decision looming with the NBA Draft. Armed with the No. 1 overall pick, Atlanta has the chance to add a piece that can help the club return back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, what’s arguably a more pivotal decision is which All-Star point guard Atlanta will build around, Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. Most believe it’ll be the latter that gets traded this offseason, and the Lakers are a logical landing spot.
LA needs a point guard upgrade, and Murray could be the perfect two-way complement to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, talks stalled at the trade deadline because of the Lakers’ unwillingness to include Austin Reaves in the deal.
With discussions expected to resume this offseason, Sam Amick of The Athletic is reporting that Los Angeles’ stance on Reaves hasn’t changed.
“Murray, meanwhile, was a player that the Lakers could have had at the February trade deadline if they’d been willing to put Reaves into the deal. He’s a possibility now, as well, but league sources say the Lakers’ stance on Reaves remains the same.”
Reaves signed a four-year, $53.8 million contract and is set to become a free agent in 2026. He averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 48.6% from the field and 36.7% from 3-point range.
He’s an ideal complement to LeBron and AD, so I can certainly see why the Lakers would prefer to keep him, but in that same breath, the Hawks shouldn’t consider moving Dejounte Murray for any package that doesn’t include Austin Reaves.
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Photographer: Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire
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