5 must-see trades to shake up the 2023 NBA Draft

The Mavericks are probably looking for a swift return to contention after their brief lottery detour to end last season. Kyrie Irving’s future is up in the air, but trading the No. 10 pick for a former All-Star probably wouldn’t hurt Irving’s opinion of the franchise. Luckily, the Hawks have just the player who can probably be purchased for cheaper than his résumé would suggest.

The Dejounte Murray experiment did not work in Atlanta last season. Fans expected an elite defender whose playmaking acumen would unlock new facets of Trae Young’s offensive game. The results were far more muddied, with Murray never really living up to his defensive billing or finding consistent offensive synergy with Young in the backcourt.

Now, does adding him to the Mavs’ backcourt with Doncic and maybe also Irving really make sense? That’s open for debate, but Murray is only due $17.7 million in 2023-24, the final year on his contract. Dallas would be able to give it a trial run before committing long term. Is the No. 10 pick worth a trial run? The answer is maybe when you’re trying to satisfy the restless Luka Doncic, who is another lottery season away from requesting a trade.

The Murray-Doncic fit is admittedly murky, but Murray does bring a lot to the defensive end and perhaps a change of scenery brings out the best in him. Plus, the fit with Kyrie is much more seamless and there is definite appeal in the idea of letting Murray and Irving play off one another when Doncic sits (more rest for Luka in the regular season could result in less burnout once the playoffs arrive).

For Atlanta, it’s a soft reset without completely tanking the roster around Trae Young. The No. 10 pick is going to yield a quality prospect — maybe a player like Taylor Hendricks or Jarace Walker who can take over John Collins’ spot when the Hawks inevitably work out that trade. Tim Hardaway Jr. is salary filler, but he’s still a bombs-away shooter who can space the floor off of Young.