The Hawks were a part of one of the biggest offseason moves in the Dejounte Murray trade, a deal that sent the All-Star point guard to New Orleans in exchange for two first-round picks and three players, headlined by Dyson Daniels.
A breakup between Trae Young and Murray was inevitable. The idea of pairing two ball-dominant guards was always a bit outlandish, but I don’t even think the most pessimistic minds thought it would be this bad.
The Hawks were a much worse team with Murray and Young on the court together; the numbers say that, but if you have working eyes, you know just how bad it was. Atlanta was always going to be moving one of them, and it wasn’t hard to guess it was going to Murray.
As the dust settles, the trade is resonating more and more, leaving many to give their grades. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton gave the Hawks a B+ for the Dejounte Murray trade.
New Orleans Pelicans get:
G Dejounte Murray
Atlanta Hawks get:
C Larry Nance Jr.
F E.J. Liddell
G Dyson Daniels
2025 first-round pick (via Lakers)
2027 first-round pick (least favorable of Milwaukee/New Orleans)
I don’t really understand this trade for the Hawks. If the Lakers miss the playoffs in 2025 (which is made possible by the West’s depth, LeBron James’ age and Anthony Davis’ inconsistent availability most years), the Hawks have acquired a lottery pick in the loaded 2025 NBA Draft. It would probably be a late lottery pick unless the Lakers truly fall apart next season, but if the Lakers don’t miss the postseason, the pick will most likely fall somewhere in the No. 15-24 range. Teams are still capable of getting a good selection in that zone, but the odds lower considerably in most classes.
Daniels could end up being a very good defender. The problem is the third-year guard can’t shoot at all, doesn’t really look to score much and is not exactly Mark Jackson when it comes to moving the ball on offense. Daniels is still just 21 years old, so there’s plenty of time to develop, but he missed 43 games in his first two seasons. He also suffered a torn meniscus this past season, which cost him almost the entire months of February and March. Nance is a solid backup forward but doesn’t fulfill a real need for the Hawks unless they reshuffle frontcourt options in other deals. That’s a possibility. Liddell is entering his second season and played in eight games (23 minutes) as a rookie.
If you look at the trade in a vacuum, it isn’t a great look for the Hawks; however, if you can compartmentalize the initial trade with the Spurs, the current circumstance, and the return from the Pelicans, it’s a fine deal, and probably a better price than they would’ve got tomorrow.
The Hawks salvaged what they could, and I respect Landry Fields for doing that instead of letting another John Collins situation happen. Also, acting like Dyson Daniels is some bum is ridiculous. He’s a couple of years removed from being a lottery selection and offers the Hawks a skill set that is a perfect complement to Trae Young.
It’s a run-of-the-mill, win-win trade for the Hawks and Pelicans.
—
Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.