Ranking Dejounte Murray trade destinations: Who needs him the most?
The Atlanta Hawks made a bold decision to trade for Dejounte Murray ahead of the 2022-23 season. Pairing Murray with Trae Young gave Atlanta one of the best backcourts on paper, and they hoped that adding Young would make them one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. It's safe to say that has not worked out.
The Hawks were a .500 team last season, finishing at 41-41 and making the playoffs as the seventh seed. They did make their first-round series against Boston more interesting than most expected, but bowed out in six games. This season things have gotten even worse with Atlanta sitting on a 16-23 record, tied for tenth place in the Eastern Conference.
With Atlanta underperforming, the team appears to be shopping Murray around. There's a good chance he's dealt before the trade deadline with Marc Stein reporting that there are five potential suitors. Here's how Murray fits in each spot ranking from worst to best.
5. The Knicks acquiring Dejounte Murray would not get them any closer to winning a championship
All eyes are on the New York Knicks after they pulled off an in-season blockbuster, acquiring OG Anunoby from the Raptors. Anunoby has been a perfect fit in New York and will be an important piece as they try and win a championship.
What's noteworthy about the Anunoby trade is the Knicks did not give up a single first-round pick, leaving them with a ton of ammo to get a superstar. Adding a superstar to a roster consisting of Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson could make the Knicks potential championship favorites.
Outside of Quentin Grimes, the Knicks' only valuable assets to get said superstar are their future firsts. They're also the only valuable assets Atlanta would want to get Dejounte Murray. The Knicks would be trading for Murray, a player who still doesn't make them a better team than the Celtics or Bucks, while also parting with picks that could be used to get the superstar they need.
Murray's fit in New York would be similar to the fit in Atlanta with Trae Young. Like Young, Jalen Brunson is a smaller guard who is not a good defender. Murray's defense has taken a step back in Atlanta. They'd have similar defensive issues that New York would have in a potential Donovan Mitchell trade, just without Mitchell's scoring upside.
They'd be giving up several picks, hurting their chances at getting a superstar, while also not improving the ceiling of the team much. This really doesn't make much sense.