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Dejounte’s gone. Is Trae subsequent?
Both approach, the Atlanta Hawks should really feel quite a bit higher at present, as a result of they lastly ripped off the Band-Assist. Certainly one of Dejounte Murray or Trae Younger needed to go … no less than. As we speak, the reply was Murray, whom the workforce despatched to New Orleans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell and two first-round picks, league sources confirmed Friday.
By some means, a way, it seems the Hawks have been capable of salvage about 97 cents on the greenback from the reckless commerce that introduced Murray to Atlanta within the first place, one which thrust them right into a disaster of being relentlessly mediocre but unable to tank.
For a entrance workplace that went a complete calendar 12 months with out making a single transaction extra significant than selling Trent Forrest from a two-way deal, it’s a jarring and notable achievement.
Let’s examine side-by-side. The unique Murray commerce despatched three first-round picks, two of that are unprotected, and a decide swap to San Antonio; on Friday, the Hawks acquired two firsts and a former lottery decide in Daniels. The veteran huge man Nance is within the deal as a wage match.
GO DEEPER
Grading the Pelicans-Hawks commerce: Is New Orleans a contender with Dejounte Murray?
Keep in mind, nevertheless, that a type of firsts initially despatched to San Antonio – a lottery protected first from Charlotte – has but to convey and appears more and more more likely to flip into two second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. (That can occur if the Hornets miss the playoffs this 12 months, as most count on).
The Hawks gained’t have their very own picks in 2025 and 2027 and owe the Spurs a swap in 2026, by which period the Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio squad figures to be mighty. Not nice, Bob. We’ll get again to this half in a minute.
However, Atlanta simply received again an unprotected Lakers decide within the 2025 draft that has a really robust probability of touchdown within the teenagers. The Hawks additionally acquired an unprotected decide in 2027, though it’s the lesser of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s.
Nonetheless, the opposite pearl is Daniels, a budding defensive specialist becoming a member of a workforce whose tragic incapability to comprise the ball resulted within the league’s Twenty seventh-ranked protection a season in the past.
Daniels has two years left on a rookie deal that can pay him $6.1 million this 12 months and $7.7 million subsequent 12 months. He struggles taking pictures and didn’t actually slot in New Orleans as a result of they’d so many different suspect marksmen, however in Atlanta, he turns into an important piece who might begin to offset famous matador Younger.
The timing of this commerce additionally permits the Hawks to recycle the $23 million John Collins commerce exception for one more 12 months; it can now be “the Murray exception,” price $18.2 million via subsequent June 28 or 29. The Atlanta trustworthy won’t ever once more have to say the identify “John Collins” any time they suggest a transaction. (I ought to be aware: $6 million will stay on the Collins exception via July 8 ought to the Hawks get frisky on the commerce machine.)
Atlanta additionally will get to hold one other “prevented luxurious tax” banner within the State Farm Area rafters, dropping $6.3 million under the road after their draft lottery triumph briefly put them over. The Hawks have 14 gamers below contract, however Nance’s addition would appear to make the non-guaranteed $2.7 million deal of Bruno Fernando fungible; the deadline for his assure is Saturday, so we’ll know quickly on him.
I child concerning the luxurious tax avoidance, however the further monetary wiggle room opens different prospects for Atlanta. Signing Vit Krejčí to a roster contract appears to be a foregone conclusion, however the Hawks additionally would possibly think about a small deal for free-agent ahead Saddiq Bey. He has a torn ACL and can probably miss most or all of this season, however the Hawks would retain his Hen rights into subsequent summer time if he stays below contract in 2024-25.
Extra notably, Atlanta can now use its full nontaxpayer midlevel exception to pursue different expertise. Specifically, the backcourt might use one other shot creator for the non-Younger minutes.
Even with no additional strikes, the Hawks have rapidly remade themselves right into a youthful workforce. Daniels, high total decide Zaccharie Risacher, 2023 first-rounder Kobe Bufkin and 2022 first-rounder Jalen Johnson – quietly among the many league’s most improved gamers final season – now seem to be core items.
In fact, I say all this as if the Hawks are executed dealing. Are they? Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter rumors have subsisted for ages, however the normal consensus from league sources is that the Hawks can’t get any significant return for them.
And eventually, there’s the elephant within the room. No dialogue of Atlanta’s plight is full with out discussing the nuclear possibility: Buying and selling Younger to San Antonio and getting these picks again, which might permit Atlanta to maneuver ahead with a honest tanking reset round Risacher, Johnson and Daniels.
San Antonio is the one believable commerce companion for such a transfer, provided that the Spurs at the moment personal three straight Hawks drafts. Conveniently, San Antonio additionally desperately wants an elite level guard and will simply mixture non-core salaries (Devonte’ Graham, Zach Collins and Tre Jones) to match Younger’s $43 million wage. The truth that the Spurs simply pushed again Graham’s assure date to July 8 no less than makes you surprise.
Pivoting to a tank by buying and selling Younger to some other workforce is way, a lot more durable. Theoretically, Atlanta might additionally do “The Brooklyn Particular” by buying and selling the picks they only acquired within the Murray commerce to San Antonio to get their very own picks again, however the Spurs would probably demand a premium past that in further firsts. Thus, until the gives for Younger are in Mikal Bridges territory – assume 4 or 5 firsts – dealing Younger elsewhere might be not a fantastic transfer for Atlanta.
So as a substitute, that is as soon as once more undeniably Trae Younger’s workforce … for now.
This time, no less than, the items match dramatically higher. Let’s cease for a fast shout-out to Murray, who performed (and performed properly) via assorted accidents throughout final season’s second half, at the same time as his identify was in commerce rumors and he knew he was most likely gone over the summer time. However he and Younger had zero chemistry collectively, and asking Murray to protect 2s subtracted one in all his former strengths.
Existential questions stay about whether or not this roster can actually obtain something past “first-round cannon fodder” — Atlanta’s report over the previous 4 seasons is an inoffensively common 161-157. Fittingly, they received the highest decide within the draft in a 12 months the place most rated the highest decide as a useful secondary weapon however not a celebrity. To the Play-In we go!
Nonetheless, Friday was the most effective day for the reconstituted entrance workplace below Landry Fields since its formation. By shifting on from Murray, the Hawks have regained the pliability to maneuver ahead in plenty of instructions with or with out Younger. (Don’t low cost the very fact they evaded the Stepien rule now, for example, on buying and selling their very own first in 2026 or 2028.)
In doing so, they ended up with a roster that’s youthful, cheaper, extra coherent and a greater match round their greatest participant. We simply don’t understand how lengthy that final half will nonetheless apply.
(High picture of Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray: Kevin Jairaj / USA As we speak)
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